Dating Prodigies
by MyFallenAngel
Summary: NejiTen, SasuSaku, discontinued. Tenten and Uchiha Sasuke. Boyfriend and girlfriend. They are happy, everybody is happy! But wait. Why is Hyuuga Neji jealous? And how come Haruno Sakura seems to hate her more and more each and every second?
1. Chapter 1: Curiousity

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Pleeeease. **

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**DATING PRODIGIES **

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**By MyFallenAngel **

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**Chapter One: Curiosity **

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Neji forced himself to not blush when the sight of his female teammate met his eyes. She was smiling, looking very cheerful indeed, and he couldn't help wondering what made her that happy early in the morning. As she was happy, he noticed that her hair was tied into a ponytail, unlike her usual panda hairstyle, which made her even cuter.

Calling her cute –even if he says it only in his mind and to himself- was something Neji discovered not long ago. He even realized that she was the only and the first thing –or being- he called 'cute'. And really, she was cute. No one could deny that.

Hyuuga Neji had recently discovered some things that made his only female companion – Tenten, the weapon mistress – much more special than the other meddling and ogling girls who were just fools in Konoha. They who liked talking about boys more than training was considered as nothing for him.

But then again, girls were different. Some of them enhanced unique personalities, characteristics, and appearances.

Sometimes Neji couldn't stop himself wondering, why do girls talk about boys? It's not like talking about them will bring them to the girls. It's not like talking about them will make the girls stronger or whatever. It's not like talking about them generally will bring up advantages to the girls.

Hyuuga Neji was always considerate. He thinks both generally and specifically, thoroughly, widely, and his heart was not often used in missions. That was why their team hardly ever failed any missions – because the cool, the calm, the collected and the considerate Hyuuga Neji was there. To help them. To choose options for them. And most of all, to protect them from doing something stupid.

Lee and Tenten were the more reckless than Neji – it was already a characteristic planted in them, while Neji always favored to consider the advantages and disadvantages in missions first than to scout the area, thinking that it was harmless. And whenever he was around and he wasn't acting reckless, they ended up healthy and alive. Safe and sound.

Nothing comes without a risk, and nothing comes without a possibility. Meaning, everything is possible. And Neji had recently discovered that too. Well, maybe not recently.

Everything, meaning he could lose to some weird guy. And yes, it was possible and it happened years ago in the Chuunin Exam. He got beaten up like hell by the weird whiskery guy – named Uzumaki Naruto.

Everything, meaning he could be reckless too. And yes, it happened too. They were on a mission, and Hyuuga Neji was underestimating the mission. He considered the village they were in a safe place, and guess what? They nearly died. All for the cause that Hyuuga Neji was being reckless. Meaning that they really depend on him. In other words, he couldn't let them down.

And he never did.

Everything, meaning he could fall in love. And now, it's happening. Neji was in love. Or he had somewhat illness and feels things weird to 'a girl'. But then again, girls aren't always noisy. 'A girl' wasn't. 'A girl' preferred training over doing nails or that sort of useless and pointless things.

And for Hyuuga Neji, Tenten was considered as that girl.

For him too, they were almost perfect. Perfect in complementing each other. As in, they were almost made to be together. But then again...

As a girl, Tenten wasn't like any other. She wasn't feminine, and she preferred weapons over studying medic, even if her idol the great Tsunade-sama chose medic over weapons. Tenten was not one who changes her mind easily. She loves what she has, and she wasn't going to change it anytime soon.

For her, studying and mastering weaponry was a part of her world. Not like how Uchiha Sasuke was Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino's worlds. Not like how Uzumaki Naruto was Hyuuga Hinata's world. In romantic relationships, Tenten chose to wait. Not to find love. It was too boring, and she thought it wasn't time yet.

After all, they were only sixteen – going on seventeen. Marriage was still an option, not a must. When they got by twenty and she still hadn't find romance in her life, then it was the time to go on searching for love.

Oh, how stupid does that sounds.

"Morning, Neji!" Tenten called at him cheerfully as she ran to his side. Boy, he couldn't stop himself from wanting to embrace her shoulder which was covered with her usual Chinese pink clothes. She smiled happily, "Ready to train?" She asked as she looked around their training grounds. "Where's Lee?"

Neji smirked at the mention of the last member of their team - the over exuberant Rock Lee, who was also called The Green Beast of Konoha. Probably it was because of his green spandex - the one Gai-sensei also wore. But then again, even if his clothes aren't that good, his personality matches their team. And matches his taijutsu style too.

"He's training with Gai-sensei." He replied, "A marathon around Konoha for fifty times or something like that."

Tenten arched her eyebrows at him. She asked after a momentary gazing, "And you? Why are you still here?" She half-expected him to say that there's no way he would do something stupid like that, but instead he said, "I was waiting for you."

Now at usual times Tenten would blush sweetly and change the topic into something more general, but today she just flinched and quickly muttered an awkward "Thank you." to the prodigy.

Neji's pale eyes twitched at her unusual reaction but he chose to ignore it - barely. Even when they started sparring he couldn't stop himself wondering why she was acting strangely towards him. Sometimes he realized that she blushes every time he was around, and he knew by heart that she will give him a big bear hug if he says that he was waiting for her.

But then again, that was at usual times. Today was more like a phenomenon. At least, to him.

Tenten summoned her weapons one by one from her scroll, as he merely stood not far away from her, counting the distance by mind and calculating the seconds he needs to perform his absolute defense: the Hakkeshou Kaiten. As she began whipping her weapons with her chakra strings, he turned into a blurry vision, stirring himself ever so quickly.

All of her weapons crashed to the circular wall of chakra and clanged against the ground, hard. Neji had done it again. She leaped down, taking out her set of kunais and slipping them between her fingers as his Kaiten faded away.

When he sensed her running, he turned into the Hyuuga taijutsu stance and dodged each and every one of her kunais easily. She jumped backwards, breathing heavily as he smirked at her, still in his ready stance. "Tenten." He said quietly, "Is that all you have got?"

Tenten knew by heart that he was only saying this to taunt her and to make her go serious at him. The weapon mistress smirked back at the prodigy as she summoned her second weapon arsenal out and flung them at him.

This time, he didn't even bother to dodge any of it and just let the weapons stabbed him deeply. Tenten gasped, thinking that she had finally and really hurt THE Hyuuga Neji when the stabbed vision went 'Poof!' and disappeared in a cushion of smoke.

Tenten leaped backwards, readying herself once more.

"Is that all?" Neji asked again, now from somewhere, not really revealing himself.

She stood, using her senses to the maximum. She whipped her shurikens out, throwing each and every one of them to the trees around her consecutively, hoping to knock him out and reveal where he was hiding. And that was when she felt something cold on her neck. A blade.

"You're not concentrating." Neji whispered to her ear as he appeared behind her. Tenten lowered her head and 'Poof!' she went. Neji smirked. She was getting better, since usually their spar ended ten minutes after it started with him winning. And this was already fifteen minutes.

Neji readied himself when a familiar gush of wind met his ears. That kind of 'Whoosh!' and 'Swoosh!'s only appeared whenever she summoned her third arsenal - meaning that she was on the way to Sogu: Fujin Heki - the weapon mistress' ultimate and newest weapon mastery technique - Wall of the Wind God.

He pulled out a kunai and activated his bloodline limit. There was no need to fool around anymore. He noticed three Tentens around him, and one doing hand seals not far away from him. As the three ran around him, each throwing a fuuma shuriken, which he avoided easily as he hit the three Tentens' shoulders harshly, causing them to disappear in puffs of smokes.

Neji released a small amount of chakra to his fingers and gazed at the last Tenten. He teleported himself behind her, as she summoned the last and fourth weapons arsenal for her Fujin Heki and whipped them at him. One shuriken scratched his cheek lightly as he went 'Poof!' and disappeared as the remaining of her weapons stabbed air.

Neji appeared behind her ever so suddenly, placing two kunais to her neck.

"Game over." He whispered huskily, holding tight the kunais.

Tenten smirked. "For the first spar." She reminded him and summoned her weapons away. Neji moved the bench to get a drink as she followed him. The prodigy gazed at her, his mouth gaping as if he wants to say something. "You've improved." He said, practically complimenting her.

Tenten grinned at him as she motioned him to sit beside her. She rolled out a medical kit out of her bag and took out a band-aid from it.

"I'm sorry about that." He said suddenly, his eyes gazing at the scratch of her knee. The girl gave him a wide smile as she stacked the band aid carefully to the scratch. Of course, as cold as he was, he was also kind. "Don't worry about me." She said.

"Tenten." He stated suddenly, his eyes gazing intensely into hers. "What happened?"

Tenten looked at him in confusion. "What happened what?" She asked.

Neji frowned at her. "You're happy."

Ah, straight to the point, as always.

She smiled and answered him cleverly. "There's no reason not to."

The prodigy caught her looking at him wickedly. He chose to ignore her gaze and eyed her observantly. "Any reason to be?" He asked after the momentary observation had passed. And much to his curiosity, she blushed hotly as she smiled.

"Well..." She studied his pale eyes carefully, feeling feeble. His eyes seemed to drill into her, seeking for the most honest truth he could find. Then again, why should she felt bad when she had to tell him about this? It's not like he was something more than a friend to her! "Neji, I..."

He gazed at her questionably.

"I..." She was determined to tell him, but Lee had first jumped into their conversation. The over energetic boy had leaped in between them with a wide grin on his face. He turned to Tenten. "Oh, Tenten! I just listened to the news of you all around the village! Finally you have got yourself a _boyfriend_!"

By this time, Neji felt a one thousand tons stone had fell on top of his head harshly.

Tenten blushed sweetly but made no effort to deny his words. "Lee..." She gave him an exasperated sigh. "Please, don't say it so loud."

"But Tenten!" Lee's eyes shone happily, "The springtime of love has come to you! How can I be not happy about it?"

She smirked. "Okaaay..." She said and turned to Neji, "Neji...? Are you okay?" Apparently she noticed the somehow shocked expression on his face. He turned to her and nodded, although he still looked blank.

"I'm fine." He said when he noticed that Tenten was still examining him carefully.

Hyuuga Neji was not sure.

At all.

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Neji huffed quietly as he settled down under a tree and drank the rest of his water. Gai-sensei had made him used most of his chakra by practicing Hakke Hyaku Nijuhachi Sho - or Eight Trigrams: One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms - to a tree.

Okay, now that was useless. A tree didn't have any chakra pores.

But then again, if he uses it against Lee, Gai-sensei or Tenten, they could die. And he wouldn't want it to happen. So... using it against a tree was the best way to practice his newest jutsu.

Although still, using it against a tree wasn't exactly the most effective way to improve.

"Neji, are you okay?" Tenten asked him again. It wasn't the first time she asked him that today - he didn't know why, but he didn't feel fine at all. Something weird was happening, and he just didn't know what.

"I'm fine." was the exact answer he gave her moments ago. He really wasn't feeling fine - but that was not like he will tell her that. Hyuuga Neji was supposed to stay cool - like a prodigy - and he will. So instead of telling the truth, he chose to say, "Hn."

Tenten looked at him in concern, but said nothing. After all, persuading Neji wasn't the best thing to do. Not when he looked so pissed. And not when he was looking pissed at her. She moved away and flung her bag to her back as she went to Gai-sensei. She definitely need to remind him about the so-pissed-off Hyuuga Neji. He may have to be aware of his... sudden outbursts.

"Neji rival!" Lee ran to the scene, sitting down beside Neji with a happy-go-lucky expression on his face. Neji smirked at him as he eyed Lee questionably. Lee smiled and patted his shoulder, "Aren't you just as happy as me that Tenten got a boyfriend? Are you? Ah, Neji! I praised you that your own springtime in love will come soon! Listen, I can ask Sakura-san to find a girlfriend for you in exchange to Tenten! When she is busy with her boyfriend, you can train with your girlfriend instead!"

Neji's eyes scattered around Lee's face uneasily. He really didn't appreciate Lee's offer - not one bit. "Lee." He started, "Don't."

Lee's eyes shone with glee. "Why don't, Neji?" He asked as he continued, "But you will have no partner to train with! Or to spar with! You will be so lonely and your springtime of love will pass without you getting the best out of it! You will grow old, lonely without a wife, twenty children, one from each of your wives! The Hyuuga Clan will not be fruitful if you didn't have a girlfriend and marry someone later! And if your springtime of youth didn't blossom, then mine will not too, since we are best comrades ever! And..."

"Lee." Neji cut him out. "There's no need to do that."

"But I'm doing it for you!" Lee smiled. "I'll do everything to help you, Neji!"

"Then there's no need to help me." Neji pointed out. "I don't need help."

And apparently, he really didn't.

One on hand, the Hyuuga Clan will probably do something if for the next two years he still didn't show any interest in romantic relationships. They will find a girl from a prestigious clan like the Hyuuga Clan for him to marry. Seeing that many clans had bonded affiliations and relationships with the clan, it will be an easy job for the elders. They would just pick a random girl from a random prestigious clan and tell her to marry him. That girl will agree, he knows that.

On the other hand, he had girls ogling him for heaven's sake. If the Hyuuga elders ran out of stock or something, he could snatch one of his fans and tell her to marry him. The lucky girl - well, people would considerately consider the girl as a lucky one for marrying the Hyuuga Neji, of course - will and must say yes. There's no rejection for a Hyuuga Neji, and she should know it.

Seeing the reasons, he really didn't need any help.

Lee gave him a wild and wide grin. "Let's host a party for Tenten!" He launched his last idea - which could be the best idea of all, but Neji didn't like it one bit. Lee continued anyway, "It's her seventeenth birthday this coming week, and we could plan a party for her! You know, seventeen is the age for a girl to turn into an adult! It is the climax of her springtime of youth! We should do it, Neji!" He eyed the cool prodigy excitedly, who in return gave no response.

"Neji!" Lee grinned again. "Let's just do it!"

Oh. So it was a birthday party for Tenten. Not a party to celebrate that she finally got a _boyfriend. _

"You know, we can do it for another reason too if you don't like to celebrate her birthday..." Lee responded when Neji still didn't look so convinced with his reasoning. "Tenten has a boyfriend now!"

Okay. He doesn't really know why, but the word 'boyfriend' was really grating his nerves and drilling his patience. This uneasy feeling was really bugging him. After all, Tenten was only his friend, his comrade, his teammate - she was not one he loves. At least, not as a girlfriend. She was just his sparring partner - his best one, in this case. Not even Hiashi-sama had him improved as much as he had when he trained with Tenten.

Neji glared at Lee. He was the cause of his dumb thoughts!

_Damn. _

"Tenten would like birthday parties! Girls like to party, right?" Lee had taken his glare as something else. And it was not good.

Being a genius, Hyuuga Neji knew by heart that girls like birthday parties, but did Tenten like birthday parties? She was no ordinary girl - she wasn't even a girly one! But if she likes birthday parties, they could plan one! If she hates them, why should they host one? It just would be too troublesome. He could use more time training than hosting stupid birthday parties she doesn't like.

"She likes birthday parties?" Neji asked carefully after a long moment of thinking.

"Of course." Lee grinned. "Girls like 'em! Especially girls who are in their springtime of youth, like Tenten!"

For the first time in his life, Neji decided to trust Lee outside a mission.

"Okay." He shrugged.

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Tenten wiped her sweat off her face as she sat down on the bench, looking at the sunset as she crossed her legs. Lee was doing four-thousand push-ups on the corner of the training grounds, and Neji was just sitting down beside her, arms crossed, also watching the sunset pointlessly with a thoughtful expression pasted on his face.

Sure, they were not Nara Shikamaru. But watching the sky sometimes brought you some peacefulness you couldn't find in normal days. And also, looking at the sky was free. You needn't any ryou to watch the sky. Really.

(Ryou: Currency used in Naruto)

She glanced sideways at her companion – the Hyuuga Neji. To her, it was almost weird that Neji chose this day to accompany her watching the sky pointlessly. It seemed like it was only two hours ago that he had rejected her invitation to accompany her rather than exploding the trees – and yet he was sitting right here beside her, looking at the sky.

To Tenten, the sky was a mystery. How could it change color? How the sun does affect its color-changing? And why do clouds chose to roam there and not on the land? At how many meters the sky starts? What is exactly the sky? There were so many questions to ask, yet she didn't know how to ask them or how to answer them.

But then again, the sky wasn't the only thing she considered a mystery.

Hyuuga Neji was, too. To her, he was even more mysterious than the sky. Take it from his eyes – his pale ones, in this case. How could it be so cold? How could it be so expressionless? How could it be so white? And how could his eyes only made her heartthrob thousands times faster? It was not something she knows, and it was not something she wants to ask too.

To her, Neji was almost nothing more than a friend, a comrade, a teammate. But he was something more than just a usual teammate. She adores him, cares for him deeply, and she wasn't sure if she could sit there doing nothing when she saw him getting beaten up in the Chuunin Exam.

Why she did not cheer for him in the exam was not beyond her knowledge. It was because Hyuuga Neji dislikes being cheered for. It makes him feels weak, and it makes him believe that she didn't trust his strength.

Oh, she did alright. Hyuuga Neji was on the second place in her list of idols. The first is Tsunade-sama, and nothing can change that. For her, Neji was someone she admired. That hasn't change, even after Naruto had beaten him up. She didn't admire Neji's talents –oh, she admired them alright, but it was not the point why Neji was on her top list- it was his strength.

Yes. His strength. It was why he was able to endure everything alone – his father's death, his hatred to the main family, everything. It was almost like Hyuuga Neji was born to be alone, to survive alone, and to die alone. She didn't know about his life until he opened it up at the Chuunin Exams.

Before that, her admiration was glued to his talents. How the Hyuuga could do this and she couldn't. How the Hyuuga could do that and she couldn't.

And when he started opening up about the dark past of how he came to a conclusion that he was born to be alone, to put revenge, and to do his things alone, she started admiring him even more.

Neji had come up to what he was in the exams alone. For him, she was just his partner. His training partner. Not a friend. But after the exams, Tenten was already determined to make herself worthy. She did everything to make him recognize her more – and when he did, she knew that she had succeeded.

Not that she regretted it, though. Hyuuga Neji wasn't that bad when it comes to friendship. He was always serious, true, but in some times he could laugh. It was a pity that it was only her he showed his laughter to.

And Tenten couldn't deny the fact: Hyuuga Neji looked even more handsome when he was laughing. He could get more ogling girls when he did that in public, seriously. But there was another fact she couldn't deny too: she didn't want him to laugh in public, without reasons. It sort of just… popped in her mind that she shouldn't let him laugh in public, because simply it will take him away from her.

And their friendship was still going on.

"Neji." Tenten called, a little awkwardly. The Hyuuga prodigy's pale eyes turned to her quietly as he arched his eyebrows, as the weapon mistress continued her question, "Why are you still here?"

He looked at her with a cocky look. "Why shouldn't I be here?" He bit back, not necessarily answering her question. After all, answering straightly to make her happy wasn't his job. It was her boyfriend's job. Oh, how much he really hates the words 'her boyfriend'. Especially when the one being addressed was not him.

But really, it's not like he would admit it or something like that. Hyuuga Neji was far too cocky and cold to admit that thing - he would call it stupid.

"I mean, you could go home." She said timidly. Neji was acting a bit strange this afternoon, especially after Lee had announced freely and loudly that she had got a boyfriend. Not that it was a lie. It was true, but she just wasn't that sure of her feelings. But sure, it was not a sin to say 'yes' to the guy after reminding him first that she wasn't sure.

He smirked and said nothing. Obviously, there's no need of telling her what he was doing. She would just flinch once more if he said that he was waiting for her to go home safely. Even for such a strong kunoichi, walking in Konoha at night could be dangerous. He could offer to walk her home, but rather than that he chose to just see her off -from faraway and hideously- until she was safe in her apartment flat.

But then again, opening up a little conversation about this and that shouldn't be too dangerous...

"Tenten." He gazed at her deeply as she returned the gaze with a quizzical look. He was just about to ask her about something that had bugged his mind for quite few hours until now, when a certain prodigy appeared between the gates of their team's training grounds.

A prodigy Neji appeared to hate.

It was Uchiha Sasuke.

**TBC. **

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**Authoress Notes **

So, as promised in my profile, this is my newest fanfic – **Dating Prodigies**. Seeing the pattern up there –if I write it obviously enough-, you might have guessed the pairings. I'm just trying to break free from the usual NejiTen and do something more… complicated.

Reviews are very much welcomed.

Thanks.

Oh, and I am having trouble with uploading my documents (good thing I spared one useless on the doc manager) so wait for loooooooong updates!

Thanks again.


	2. Chapter 2: Emptiness

**Disclaimer: I'm not owning it. **

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**Chapter Two: Emptiness**

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Yes. It really _was_ Uchiha Sasuke.

Hyuuga Neji flinched at the sight of a guy which he planted most of his hatred to.

Lee stopped doing his push-ups and beamed happily.

Tenten stood up awkwardly and approached the guy with an unreadable expression on her face.

Uchiha Sasuke stood there, completely silent, as he held out his hand to Tenten, who reached it with a very red face. The prodigy gave a smirk, gripped her hand quite tightly that Hyuuga Neji couldn't help clenching his fist, and asked the weapon mistress softly, "Are you going home?"

"Well, yes." Tenten managed a reply that didn't contain any stammering.

"Let's go, then." Sasuke said quietly. "I'll walk you home."

That was no question, it was a statement, and Tenten knew that. The thing that was bothering her was that Sasuke had just said it the way Neji usually said it. The Hyuuga too, always made sure that she was safe and sound in her apartment before going home to his house alone. And apparently, Sasuke too.

"Okay." She replied, shrugging. She really thought that it was sweet of him to pick her from her own training grounds which were at the corner of Konoha, while the Uchiha's training grounds were diagonally across from her training grounds, at the other corner.

She turned to Lee and Neji, who by now was watching her with wide-eyes. Or precisely, Lee was watching her with wide-eyes while Neji was just looking at Sasuke, full of hatred.

Oh yeah, how stupid she was to choose a boyfriend who Neji hates. Tenten did realize that Neji had hated Sasuke for some unknown reasons, but at that time she could only think that Neji was only her friend. He didn't have the power to rule her life and choose her choices.

And that was one of the reasons she chose to accept Sasuke's offer.

"Tenten!" Lee had leaped into the scene, almost unnoticeably. The exuberant boy looked at Sasuke with smiling eyes, which the prodigy returned with calm, cool onyx eyes.

"Sasuke-kun!" Lee smiled, "You must be very proud and happy to get our Tenten's heart at last! She never gives her blooming heart to any bumble bees, and you are the bumble bee who can! Congratulations, Sasuke-kun!"

Neji flinched when hearing this. Okay, so Lee's definition was never not exaggerating, and he was kind of used to Lee's words. But then again, he really didn't have to exaggerate over this, right? He was pissing the Hyuuga Neji off, and even the prodigy alone can tell that he was almost exploding.

Sasuke smirked. "Thank you." He said with a smirk that pissed Neji even more. "My honor." He continued with a smile to Tenten. Lee gave them thumbs up and said, "I will not do anything to bother you again today, oh, loving couples!" He smiled, "Way to go, Tenten! You scored ten out of ten! Ten-ten!"

"Yeah." Tenten waved her hand. She tugged Sasuke's sleeve. "Let's go, Sasuke-kun." She said, almost begging. Sasuke nodded and walked as he moved her hand to his own hand, gripping her slender fingers tightly as Tenten couldn't help but blushed shyly.

Even if she wasn't that sure of her feelings, walking hand-in-hand with Uchiha Sasuke was one thing most girls would die for.

Secondly, even if she wasn't ordinary girls, she too did know that he was popular.

More popular than Neji, probably.

But then again, comparing him to Neji wasn't really that important... Only she had get used to comparing everybody to the Hyuuga prodigy and found one fact: no one could really beat Neji when it comes to her expectations.

Not even her so-called boyfriend.

Tenten glanced sideways at Sasuke, who glanced back at her with a very cute smile on his face. She forced a smile on her lips, even as she remembered that Neji hardly smiles, and each time he smiles it was more heavenly than anything she had ever seen before.

The weapon mistress frowned mentally. She really should have stop comparing any guys she met with Neji. It was not a good habit to start it of with, since just comparing someone with him meant that she was thinking about him most of the time.

Secondly, she already had Uchiha Sasuke. The guy most girls would die for. The guy who was as talented as Neji was. The guy who also scored as the number one rookie of his year. And really, she should be satisfied with all she had.

If not, Fate would probably _curse_ her.

When at last her mind escaped the world of dreams and thoughts, she realized that they were in front of her apartment flat. She inserted the key and opened the door. Tenten turned to Sasuke and smiled.

"Fancy a drink?" She offered generously.

The people who had ever entered her apartment flat and get a drink made by her was only Neji and her girl friends. Not even Lee had a drink she made. Her flat was like her own sanctuary, private to anyone and oblivious to anything. She didn't like having people she didn't trust inside -not that she distrusted Lee, but actually Lee always go straight home after training was finished, so she hadn't got a chance to ask him.

Uchiha Sasuke was no exceptions. He was her boyfriend. Girls trusted their boyfriends, as custom said. And she too, chose to trust Sasuke.

_Sasuke-kun_, Tenten reminded. _He is your boyfriend, Tenten, and do call him with a 'kun' behind and he will be happy. You, too._

"No, thank you." Sasuke gave her a smile again; probably it was the sweetest smile he had ever shown her. "I have other things to do, sorry, but yeah, I will be glad to stay over next time." He leaned in and gave a quick peck on her forehead. "Good night, Tenten. Sweet dreams."

The weapon mistress smiled too. "Thank you for walking me home, Sasuke-kun." She whispered to him, mustering the sweetest smile she could. It was not hard, regarding how she actually was very happy to find a boyfriend like him. Only... the behavior of Neji today was bugging her big-time - but that aside first. "Good night. Sweet dreams too."

Sasuke glanced at her new girlfriend and smiled. After that, he vanished in puffs of smokes, leaving Tenten in her doorway alone. The weapon mistress went out to her balcony, looking around at the view in front of her.

The highest tree in Konoha was standing in front of her.

_So much for a day... Really. _

She wasn't feeling good at all. In fact, she was feeling worse. Even when she had got herself a boyfriend, got a quick kiss on her forehead, now she wasn't really sure that she made the right choice when Sasuke had told her regarding his feelings.

But then again, now was not the time to be thinking about that.

She glanced at the branch, and saw a shadow flashing near the leaves.

Tenten chuckled and placed her hands on her hip. "Come out, Neji." She called, "I know you're there."

Quick as a flash he was, he appeared in front of Tenten and smirked.

"Of course you do." He said quietly, "You always do."

"I know." She grinned, but her grin turned into a smirk. "It's because you are always there, of course. On the highest tree, in front of my balcony."

He smirked.

She smiled. "A cup of tea?" She offered generously. The prodigy in front of him nodded, and she pulled him inside her apartment flat and led him to her living room.

He sat down willingly and crossed his feet yet his arms, waiting. Tenten smiled once more and quickly entered her kitchen.

Five minutes after that she held out a cup to Neji, and he sipped his tea. Or considered as his favorite tea. Tenten had always known his favorite mix - and his favorite cup too. She had especially bought one for him since he always stays by her house whenever they finished their training.

"Thanks." He replied quickly and sipped it again.

Tenten gave him a grin. "Is it good?"

"As usual." Neji smirked.

She laughed heartily. "As usual." She repeated nicely.

This time he smiled too and drank his whole cup. "I'll be going home." He informed, and she nodded. Neji waved his hand and disappeared through the balcony. Tenten looked at the cup and smiled as she took the cup and went to the kitchen to wash it off.

Even when she's feeling down, he always got a way to make her smile.

No matter what happens, their friendship won't change.

Hopefully...

--

It was a fairly normal evening, the sun setting down; the chilly wind breezed here and there. Tenten was sharpening her last kunai with her sharpening knife; Neji was sitting down quietly, doing necessarily nothing but looking at the sky and feeling the breeze.

Now that Tenten could recall it, he had been doing that for quite a while. It was since she and Sasuke got closer, if she remembers right. But then again, she shouldn't be too big-headed. It may have something to do with something she didn't need to know about.

If he needs her, he will tell her and she will help him. That's the way it has been, and that's the way it will be too.

She jabbed her kunai to the sandy ground below her feet, feeling more than a little bored. Sasuke had promised her to always pick her up after she finished her training with her team, and she was waiting for him.

Only, he was quite late. She had been waiting for about half an hour already, or precisely twenty-nine minutes. Lee had even finished his closure: two hundred push-ups and fifty times around their training ground.

"Neji?" Tenten called to the Hyuuga prodigy, who was glancing pointlessly at the sky. "Thank you." She smiled. Even if he didn't say it out loud, she knew that he was actually waiting for her to go home - just to make sure that she's all right.

She had protested to him several times when he started doing it, but he didn't stop seeing her off although he says nothing when she protested. Finally, she lets him do his own will. It wasn't really bothering her, anyway. It was kinda nice of him to make sure that she's safe.

Neji smirked. He didn't mind waiting. The Hyuuga complex didn't have anything interesting in it. Usually after he got home, he had dinner and the rest of the night off. That's all. He will miss nothing even if he chooses to stay the night in his training grounds.

Only, the Hyuuga elders will find him, and he will get scolded. That's all. He looked at the clock Gai-sensei had nailed to a tree. It was already six thirty. If he's not home in thirty minutes, the Hyuuga elders will get mad at him.

He glanced at Tenten. But as always, safety comes first. And mostly, safety of this weapon mistress.

If she was already safe in her house, then he worries over nothing. Actually it really wasn't something he should be worried upon. She already had a boyfriend that will guard her with his life, but he just felt necessary to see her off. That was on one hand.

On the other hand, it was actually also based on experience. He had once chosen to leave Tenten because there was a very important dinner in the Hyuuga compound, and the whole time he couldn't keep her out of his mind. And when the next morning she didn't show up training, he panicked - almost.

Then Lee told him that she was sick and couldn't come training. He got very worried too - and at the end he didn't get to train. He went to her house and kept her warm the rest of the day.

So it was basically more practical to see her safely first.

Tenten looked at the gates, and shifted her gaze to Neji, who was still calm. He was bouncing a rock up and down, looking still very patient. Even so, he could tell that she was worrying about her damn boyfriend.

The weapon mistress turned at him and smiled, "Neji, you could go home. Really." She gave him a convincing look, "There is nothing dangerous here, okay?"

He smirked and continued bouncing the rock.

"Neji?" Tenten almost pleaded. She didn't really know why - it was almost humiliating that her boyfriend wasn't here and nearly got Neji scolded. Oh, she knew about the Hyuuga's rules indeed and how harsh they were.

The Hyuuga prodigy looked at her, his expression completed with utter determination. "No." He answered her, leaving no space for arguments.

She arched her eyebrows. "You'll get scolded." She reminded, almost scowling, but remembered that he was doing this to make sure that she was safe and sound in her home.

He shook his head silently, "Don't really care." He told her, standing up and jabbing a kunai on the middle of a target ten meters far away.

Tenten rolled her eyes. "... 'kay." She replied, giving up. Neji could be very obstinate if he wants to, and it seems to her that he was acting that way today.

She leaned against the tree behind her, somewhat hoping that the shadow of Sasuke will appear between the gates of her training grounds.

"Tenten." The soft voice of Sasuke appeared behind her. She turned around and was really shocked to see the boy standing behind her, leaning against a tree too. Neji immediately stood up, his face cold. "You're late, Uchiha." He said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Piss off." Sasuke replied, his eyes also cold. "Let's go home, Tenten."

"Oh... right." The weapon mistress stood up as she glanced at Neji, feeling quite guilty. "... Neji..." The Hyuuga prodigy looked at her blankly. She gave him a weak smile, "Thank you."

"..." Without saying anything, the Hyuuga leaped to a tree and went away.

Tenten gave Sasuke a weak smile. "Let's go, Sasuke..." She looked at the weird expression on his face and quickly added, "-kun..."

The Uchiha prodigy smiled. "Come on." He whispered softly as he held out his hand and the girl received it. She did felt relieved that Sasuke was alright. "I'm sorry I'm late. Got held up in the grounds." He shrugged and gave her another smile, "Forgive me, Tenten?"

She smiled. "Of course." She replied without hesitation. "You almost got me worried to death, Sasuke-kun."

"Really?" He smiled again, "Lucky me."

Tenten arched her eyebrows. "Why lucky?" She asked, a little confusion peeking through her eyes. "I'll probably punish you or something for making me worried, you know?"

He smirked. "No one ever really makes you worried, right?"

She looked surprised. "How do you know?" She asked. In fact, it was kind of true indeed. Growing with the Hyuuga Neji, she had found out that some of his characteristics were in fact, contagious.

For example, his way to deal with something. He never worries, and always thinks of the possibilities first before worrying over something.

Perhaps only in some times he worries over something without being considerate.

And fortunately for him, she didn't know that she was the 'something' that could make him inconsiderate.

"Lee told me." Sasuke said coolly. "Then, let's go."

"Okay." Tenten shrugged, mentally making a note to kill Lee some time later. He was not going to survive after telling her boyfriend something she doesn't want other people to know except her team!

They arrived in front of her door and did their usual good-byes. A quick peck on her forehead, a quick grip on his hand, two "Sweet dreams.", two "Good nights.", and he was gone in a flash of light.

And as usual, Tenten went out to her balcony, trying to push down her hopes to see that Neji was as usual, on the branches of the highest tree in Konoha. She gazed at the tree for a long, long time.

And that's when a shadow appeared on a branch.

She smiled and chuckled. "Come out, Neji." She whispered loudly, touching the leaves.

Hyuuga Neji appeared beside her and gave her a smirk. "Good night, Tenten." He said softly. "I'm going home now."

"No drinks first?" She asked timidly.

He smiled again. "I would love to, but I couldn't." He whispered. "Good night."

"Yeah..." She nodded, as the thought of the elders scolding him entered her mind. It must be the reason that he chose not to visit over. And why was she feeling empty? Neji had his own life, his own rules, and his own house.

He controlled himself, and there's no way she would do that for him.

If she could, she was quite sure that he'll hate her for life.

Neji reached out his hand and stroked her hair gently. "I'll come by tomorrow."

Her eyes lightened. "Good."

He smiled and began to leap from trees to trees, leaving Tenten alone in her balcony with her thoughts. Really, when she was with a guy girls would die for, why was she still wanting more? And even, why was she wanting more from Hyuuga Neji?

And of course, they only held a friendship. Nothing more.

No kisses. No embraces.

Just simple good-byes and good-nights friends shared.

She gazed at the figure of Hyuuga Neji fleeing from trees to trees in the distance and closed her eyes, killing down her disappointments and emptiness.

They were only friends.

Nothing more.

Really.

**TBC**

--

**Authoress Notes**

I enjoyed writing this sooo much! It's fun to picture Neji like that, really it is!

So keep those reviews coming! They motivated me, and what I just said (or wrote) is not a lie.

Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3: Anger

**Disclaimer: Not owning Naruto nor its characters. But I really want to own Hyuuga Neji. Oh, the obsession of a girl like me. **

--

**Chapter Three: Anger**

--

The shops seemed very noisy at Sundays like these, but surely it didn't stop Sasuke from taking Tenten out for a date to the shops. They went from store to store, doing especially nothing but only window-shopping. And Sasuke was very glad. He had once taken out Sakura for a walk to the marketplace, and they ended up buying a lot more than he expected.

Sure, it was the Uchiha who suffered more from taking her out - his wallet got thinner very quickly, and for the next few weeks he had to eat nothing but instant ramen.

And now it had already been more than ten shops they get into, but Tenten hadn't choose anything to buy, even when they entered a shop with the most gorgeous dresses from the cleverest designers of the world. Don't forget most expensive too, of course. But she didn't seem very happy to see those expensive clothes hanging around her.

Sasuke couldn't stop himself thinking that how Tenten was so different from Sakura, who squealed and even tackled him in a hug (a long one, in that case) when he brought her in this shop.

Well, why he chose to bring her instead of Tenten at that time was really, really beyond his knowledge.

But then again, it wasn't something he should think about. Not right now, when he was with Tenten. The weapon mistress seemed a little flushed to go from store to store like that, Sasuke realized.

He took her hand and gripped her fingers gently, and asked, "Do you want to go somewhere?"

Tenten smiled. "Yes, of course." She replied. "Anywhere, but not here." She joked, looking around at the store with frilly dresses, pink blouses, and stuffed animals. Not that she hated stuffed animals, though. She loved them - but basically, it's really not her favorite thing. And the animals looked stupider when they were hanging around with the frilly things and hairpins.

But of course, she never regretted having a giant stuffed panda lying on her bed - a birthday present from Neji.

"Okay." Sasuke replied, taking her hand once more and walking out of the store, passing some couples they have seen in some stores. When they were already outside, he asked, "Where do you exactly want to go, Tenten?"

She blushed. Surely it would be okay to tell him that she preferred weapons over dresses, right? He was her boyfriend, after all. And how much the world 'boyfriend' seemed to rang in her ears... awkwardly, that was.

Just having Sasuke as her boyfriend only made her uneasy. But then again, he was her boyfriend. If he likes her, he has to accept what she really was - like how Neji accepted easily that she was not like any other girls. "I like weapons." She pointed out the obvious.

Sasuke smiled. "So, is the weapon store our next stop?" He asked gently as he laughed in relief. "Thank you! I was worried that we were going to walk over from stores to stores buying frilly dresses!"

Tenten smiled too. "Were you? I was worried too," She confessed. "I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun. I really hated having dresses... As you notice, I never wear one and don't plan too."

The Uchiha prodigy smirked. "I'm sorry too." He apologized in a gentleman way. Tenten couldn't help noticing and realizing that he really was a gentleman - probably even more than Hyuuga Neji. She scolded herself again. She really has to stop comparing everyone to Neji! This was the result of hanging out with that Hyuuga too much! She gave Sasuke a faint smile and waved her hand, using gestures to tell him that she wasn't mad at him.

They visited the closest weapon store and ended up buying a lot. No, she ended up buying a lot. Sasuke was just having fun seeing the weapons hanging on the wall more than seeing dresses around him.

And to tell everybody the truth, he was sure that he had to buy cheaper instant ramen for the next few months! Weapons were gradually and generally much more expensive than dresses, and he was the one who offered to pay everything she wanted!

_Uchihas didn't break their promises_; Sasuke had to remind himself before he explodes in some humiliating ways. Then again, he didn't want to humiliate Tenten for having a boyfriend like him. And most of all, he also didn't want to humiliate himself for being a lame 'prodigy'!

Oh, well. It just happened that he will have to eat ramens for this month and next month, then.

It can't be helped, Sasuke told himself, and it's not her fault either.

Meanwhile, by his side, Tenten was really smiling happily. She had brought lots and lots and lots of weapons to fulfill her collection. "Thank you!" She couldn't stop herself from embracing the Uchiha Sasuke from her happiness.

And as the boy blushed hotly, he realized that it was really just worth it. Tenten never embraced him before - and when she did, he really felt happy. Just plainly, simply happy.

And to end the day, they ate ice-cream in the park. Or rather, Tenten was the one who was having her ice-cream. Sasuke chose to watch. And again, Tenten couldn't help remembering that Neji too disliked sweet and creamy things.

After her ice-cream was finished, he walked her home. And as usual, she assumed that he was going to just give a kiss on her forehead and say good-bye, but this time he didn't.

Being a gentle weapon mistress, she chose to ignore that fact. "Care for a drink?" She asked after momentarily hesitation. She wasn't that sure if she wants to reveal her house to her boyfriend yet, but sooner or later she has to.

Sasuke shook his head again, "No, thanks." He smiled, "I have other things to do."

He always left it at that. Never explaining her what 'other things' did he have. But then again, she didn't really care. And she wasn't as curious as Sakura or Ino might be.

If Sasuke wants to do something, just let him do it. It's none of her business, and she preferred not to be nosy.

"Really?" She gave him a faint smile again. "But anyway, Sasuke-kun. Thank you for everything. I mean, I ended up buying a lot..." She blushed sweetly as Sasuke gave a smirk. Yes, she really did bought a lot, but it wasn't like if he was going to admit it or anything.

"It's fine, really." He smiled softly.

Tenten blushed again. "Thank you." She repeated, looking at him softly, considering something. She looked at him again, and this time she did something surprising. She stood on her tip-toe, leaning in front and kissed his cheek softly. "Thank you." She whispered, close to his ears, making the usually emotionless Uchiha blushed hotly, "I really mean it."

The prodigy seemed to be a little lost in thought. But then he smirked. Feeling a presence near him - a certain someone's presence that happened to be watching or spying them -, he leaned closer to her, lowering his head, his lips aiming to hers. As Tenten blushed more, the Uchiha kept himself going closer.

And closer.

And closer…

… Until their faces were an inch away.

And when he leaned in again, suddenly a kunai flew between their noses, scratching Sasuke's nose, to be specified.

Sasuke smirked. "Come out." He said quietly, readying his kunai, as Tenten watched in confusion. She couldn't help wondering what was happening, and from who did that kunai comes from. And more certainly, why?

She turned to the tree, where the weapon came for, and she was very, very shocked when she saw a very pissed-off teammate of her right on a branch.

Hyuuga Neji.

"Neji!" The weapon mistress exclaimed. "Why are you here?"

Neji eyed her coldly and shifted his gaze to Uchiha. He activated his Byakugan and ran to him, his hands graceful in a certain style Tenten happened to know very well. "Neji! Don't!" She yelled - but it was too late. "Jyuuken!" The Hyuuga had mouthed and hit Sasuke right on the spot he wanted him to be hit.

Uchiha Sasuke was almost thrown more than a meter away. "Hmm." He smirked evilly as he gazed to the Hyuuga Neji. "What are you doing here, Hyuuga?"

"..." As usual, the silent prodigy silenced. He crossed his arms over his chest, doing nothing but staring at the couple.

"Sasuke-kun, I am really, really sorry!" Tenten said, helping him to get up. The Uchiha smirked again. "That's fine, really." He said to her, "And Tenten, I'm going home now. I have a dinner with Naruto. Goodnight, sweet dreams."

But this time he didn't give her a peck on her forehead - probably the fact that Neji's eyes were glaring at them had made him refused. As Sasuke leaped from the apartment, Tenten glared at Neji.

"Neji, what are you pulling right here?" She demanded angrily. "You were practically hitting him when he did nothing!"

"Oh. Sure." He arched his eyebrows sarcastically. "Nothing at all. I get it."

"Neji!" Tenten glared. "Please, tell me what this is about? You have just hit him. And you have probably kill my love life and my romantic relationship for a looooooong time! You owe me an apology!" She looked at him, hands on her hip, her eyes blazing in impatience and disbelief.

She couldn't believe that Neji was acting so irrational - Sasuke wasn't doing anything wrong! He was just kissing her - and he had an authority to do that. He was her boyfriend! And for heaven's sake, she was not a part of his authority, no matter how many girls did the Hyuuga have, she was not in them.

"Nothing." Neji was acting obstinate.

"Neji?" She made her voice pleading and begging. But then, begging hardly worked on Hyuuga Neji, and this time it didn't too. He frowned and gazed at her intensely. "He's trying to kiss you." He said, pointing out the obvious. He looked uncomfortable when he said that, but Tenten wasn't going to let it bother her.

"He could." She said, also pointing out the obvious. "He is my boyfriend."

All right. So that pissed him more. Finally, Hyuuga Neji was having enough.

He was so fed up with her. Or more likely, her actions towards that stupid air-headed Sasuke. He got so fed up at the way she called him 'kun'. He was just... tired of everything. "Fine." He said angrily. "I don't care anymore."

Tenten raised her eyebrows. "That's better." She snapped.

Neji whirled back, and stopped in front of her, his eyes blazing in anger and madness. And before he even knew what he was doing, he had leaned in quickly and kissed her lips hungrily.

"Ne-ji!" Tenten yelled, pushing him away, but what were heard were just muffled voices. She couldn't push him away - he was a man, and he was too strong. No matter what, a girl wouldn't win against a boy. Except Tsunade-sama, that is. In the situation, she will probably hold out a pinky and soon Neji will be flying hundred meters away from her.

When he finally released her lips, he noticed her eyes blazing angrily at him, and quickly realized that he had just done something very wrong. Very wrong, indeed. "Tenten..." He began, "I wish to say... That is..."

"Get out!" Tenten shouted angrily at him, pushing him away from her. "I hate you, Neji! I hate you! I don't want to ever see your face again!"

Her first kiss...

"Get out, I said!" She said, taking out her scrolls, "Or you rather battle with me?"

... Was stolen by her best friend.

"GET OUT!"

Neji took a step backwards. "Tenten..."

"GET THE HELL OUT FROM HERE, HYUUGA NEJI!" Tenten shouted, her voice filled with animosity, hatred, impatience, and murderous intent. "AND GET THE HELL OUT OF MY LIFE! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FREAKING FACE EVER AGAIN!"

This time Neji got the sign. He vanished in puffs of smoke, leaving Tenten alone to deal with her life. She stormed inside her flat and slammed the door behind her. When she was inside, she fell on her knees, her tears streaming down her face. The tears were tears of anger and sadness.

And yet… his kiss. It was not out of love. Not the way she had dreamed it to be. Not the way the other girls had described it. Neji did not love her. Hyuuga Neji did not love anyone. He chose not to.

_He chose not to. _

Hyuuga Neji had just ruined her life.

--

"That's okay. I really don't mind." Sasuke said, laughing softly as he stroked the buns of Tenten's hair. "It's okay, really, Tenten. He's just being overprotective or something like that."

Tenten smiled timidly. "... I'm really sorry, Sasuke-kun." She whispered, really saying it from her heart. She flicked her brown hair behind her ears and looked at him in the eye. "... Please forgive me?"

He laughed again. "It's okay." He replied gently, and then his face turned serious. "I'm not angry at you at all, Tenten. In contrary, there is something I want you to consider about."

"What?" Her eyes flickered, almost hopefully. For the whole day, she had been avoiding Neji. And because it seemed so easy, the knowledge had finally dawned on her - Neji was avoiding her too. That made avoiding each other much easier, really.

And they were very lucky to have Lee inside the grounds, or it will be too awkward. Lee sparred with her, with Neji too, and they both chorused the same reason: "I want a change.", and Lee's job was to fulfill it.

So, Tenten was glad that she didn't have a private conversation with Neji today. He didn't even glance at her - it seemed to her that he was looking anywhere but her eyes. To her, it was clear that he was avoiding her.

And to her, this only made her angrier. If he was doing that, then she too would avoid him.

And so, that's how the daily training today had passed.

"The jounin exams are coming up, right?" Sasuke smiled again, "I am thinking... if it's possible, let's train together. I mean, we can do spar matches, training, and things. My training grounds are going to be empty for the next few days. Sakura and Naruto are going on missions."

"Why aren't you going with them?"

He smiled again. "I am looking forward the jounin exams." He told her honestly, "And Kakashi-sensei spared me from the missions. That's all."

"Oh." She looked at him again as she considered some facts. Sure, training with Sasuke was probably the best thing she could do for now. She was not in a very good terms with Hyuuga Neji, and having spar matches with him have a possibility that he will try to kill her.

Just in case, she didn't want to die.

Yet.

"So?" Sasuke's eyes looked hopeful. "Any chances you will accompany me? It's lonely to train alone, and I don't want to end up exploding trees!"

She smiled. "I want to," She said after another moment of considering, "But I'll better ask Gai-sensei first about this. Just so that he will not get too worried or something." She rolled her eyes cheekily, "You know how Gai-sensei is always overacting."

"I do." Sasuke nodded. "Okay, just take your time. Tell me whenever you are ready, okay?"

"Yes." She smiled again.

"Good night, Tenten." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "... Sweet dreams." He whispered, close to her ears as she blushed even more.

The weapon mistress mustered the sweetest look on her face as she covered her face with her hands, "Good night too, Sasuke-kun." She replied softly, "Sweet dreams."

And he vanished.

Tenten entered her flat as she met eyes with the balcony. Should she check? She was having the biggest fight she had ever had with Neji, surely he wouldn't bother to see her off... But then again, it will not take more than a few seconds to check if he was there. His presence every evening was always noticeable.

She looked at the tree, hoping to find a shadow moving somewhere. When she didn't, Tenten couldn't help feeling a very huge disappointment in her heart. She lowered her head as she entered her flat from the balcony.

Obviously, Hyuuga Neji was not there.

She couldn't feel his presence at all, and he wasn't even moving.

Tenten closed the curtains, noting that she would take a bath after this and cook herself a spicy dinner.

Perhaps a struck on her tongue would make her realize that she was, after all, in the middle of the chaos of her life. That she was having a fight with Hyuuga Neji. And most of all, the stupidest fact ever that she was feeling very disappointed when she realized that he was not seeing her off today.

She went inside the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

--

Neji breathed as he saw the dark blue curtains of Tenten's flat was closed. He waited for thirty seconds before revealing himself out of his hiding place. And when the curtains didn't flick open anymore, he felt relieved.

After scouting the area with his eyes once more, he disappeared into the darkness.

She was already at home.

Safe and sound.

**TBC**

--

**Authoress Notes:**

There's a lot more I can add to this chapter, actually. Only I chose not to… I'll save them for next time! Spare my life, friends, and please expect the next chapter next week, 'kay?

Err, a little explanation: I'm going to make this a love triangle or even a square. I can add Sakura here and there (which I probably will do in the few next chapters) and make it... a complicated one. I'm just challenging myself, and I don't really know whether I'm doing my challenge nicely or... worse. Tee-hee.

Anyways, reviews are very much welcomed again.

Thank you!


	4. Chapter 4: Hurt

**Disclaimer: No ownership of Naruto. The license is not mine and you know it.**

--

**Chapter Four: Hurt**

--

"What?" Gai looked much taken aback by his only female student sudden request. Tenten gave him a false smile. "Yes, Gai-sensei." She said, looking at him with pleading eyes, "Please? Uh, my... err... boyfriend wants to be with me. And I too..." She noticed the sorrow expression on Gai's face and quickly added, "Please?"

Lee jumped in. It seems like it was a new habit of his to jump in to conversations that were supposed to be labeled as private - like he did yesterday with the silent conversation of hers and Uchiha Sasuke's. _Sasuke-kun_, Tenten added silently in her heart. Okay, so it was very hard to remember that she has to call him with a _kun_ behind.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee said, bouncing up and down happily, "Please let THE flower go, Gai-sensei! The flames of their youth will blaze even more than ever if you let them go! Tenten will not pass her springtime of youth with lack of experience, Gai-sensei!"

Hearing the advice from his favorite student -and a clone too, if you see their appearance-, the teacher smiled proudly and tapped Tenten hard on her shoulder, causing her to stumble and almost fall if a pair of hands didn't held her up.

She looked up at her helper, almost feeling grateful, but the positives in her eyes died down when she saw Hyuuga Neji helping her. She erased her smile and gave him a cold glance instead, saying, "Thank you."

Neither Gai nor Lee had this scene emerging in their mind, since they were too occupied by each other - hugging and crying with a scene of sunset beside them. But then again, Lee could almost sense some uneasiness swooshing around his usually peaceful teammates.

When he had finished crying and interacting with his sensei, he gazed at Tenten, and then to Neji. They were both gazing to each other's eyes, with nothing but blazing anger.

"Tenten!" Lee had jumped in again. "Neji! What happened?"

"Nothing." The two chorused in unison. Lee shrugged, but he really believed that it was really something. Then again, asking Hyuuga Neji was not an option. He turned to Tenten, smiling cheekily, "So Tenten, are you going to Sasuke-kun's place today?"

The weapon mistress seemed a little taken aback by his sudden blunt question. "Well..." She sputtered uneasily, but feeling Neji's milky white eyes staring at her face, she immediately felt anger throwing itself at her again and quickly muttered, "Yes. I'm going now, in fact. So Lee, goodbye. Gai-sensei, goodbye." She cleared her throat after momentarily consideration and chose not to bid Neji goodbye. She turned away and began to walk, leaving her three comrades in silence.

Lee, however, really did sense something. He sped up to Tenten, smiling once more, "I'll go with you there." He offered generously.

Tenten smirked, "Sakura is _probably_ on a mission." She applied the answer clearly, sounding mocking but amused. She was; in fact, glad to have Lee on her side as they went out of the gates of their training grounds. Even if the boy was not the best companion, having him with her would probably kill her dumb thoughts about the coldest, coolest, stupidest man alive: Hyuuga Neji.

"So Tenten." Lee started again, determined to get at least one information about why his two teammates weren't acting as usual to each other. They must have a huge fight or something, since their last fight (which Lee could recall, was almost five years ago) only lasted for an hour or two. Neji and Tenten complemented each other in so many ways; there should be no way that their fight lasted more than a day. If it did, though, it was the Green Beast's time to jump in the rescue.

"Yeah?" The weapon mistress smiled weakly at him, her thoughts still filled with the now disgusting Neji. Somehow, she really needs to meet Sasuke fast, or she will explode. Or someone had to drag Neji away from her minds so that she could live her life in peace.

The so-called Green Beast of Konoha suddenly realized that Tenten looked very weary. "Tenten, what had happened?" He asked after hesitation, seeing the lack of sleep and rest on her face -they must have something to do with Neji-, and seeing the bored face on her look, he quickly added, "Have you a fight with Neji?"

Tenten flinched, she really did. She whirled around at Lee and narrowed her eyes dangerously at the boy.

The boy shrunk on the ground between the deadly glares of his only female teammate. But then, he remembered that both of them -Neji too- looked very tired and exhausted during the daily training today. So, as the conclusion may be clear already, he figured out that this fight -or whatever thing they have in mind- was killing them both. He pulled himself together and gave Tenten a confident smile.

And for once -ONCE-, Lee found himself acting brotherly and mature. "... I don't know what you two have got," He stated, still smiling calmly, "But I suggest you to finish it off quickly, Tenten. Neji is not... feeling very well, I can tell, and..." His gaze shifted to her exhausted look, "You too, moreover. Whatever you have, it's killing you both..."

Tenten, however, was too taken aback to listen to his every word. She was surprised that Lee could act so mature over something -something he didn't know-, and how his guess was almost right to the point. Yes. She was clearly exhausted for remembering yesterday's events. That damn arrogant, cold, but still cool-looking Hyuuga guy!

"I don't want to hear a word about this again." She said through gritted teeth. "I don't."

"... But, Tenten..." Lee argued, uncharacteristically coming from the happy boy, "You could say sorry..."

"I didn't do anything wrong." She snorted. "If someone has to say sorry, he is the one."

Lee opened his mouth again, but this time Tenten had flashed him a very dangerous death glare, and he chose to just shut up about it. But then again, this fight was really bothering him. He really didn't know why, but he supposed that it was what Gai-sensei called 'The lovely spirit for comrades in their springtime of youth'.

"Don't worry, Tenten." He managed to say, "I'll go fetch Neji and ask him what's wrong."

"Yeah. He'll probably kill you." Tenten answered innocently, not really taking serious Lee's words.

But the boy was certainly very serious.

--

Painful as it was, Hyuuga Neji can still recall the moment he kissed his teammate - and how right did it feel to him. Only she didn't look right, and to her it seemed like she was actually kissing a random guy from the streets. To Neji, this was, however, a really mocking thing. He had kissed her, simply because he loved her.

To him, Tenten was probably the only one that affected him in this way. Hyuuga Neji didn't show any emotions, and when he did, he only showed them to the weapon mistress - his best friend, his comrade, and one girl he would save even if he had to die. Her life was more precious than his, and it will hurt more if he had to live without seeing her.

And now, he had lost the chance.

He can't deny the fact that he was actually really jealous of her and Sasuke. How he clenched his fist whenever he saw the two holding hands happily. And how he felt his heartbeat stopped when he saw Tenten kissing Sasuke's cheek. He had reminded himself over than a hundred times - he was her boyfriend. And himself, he was only her friend.

He wasn't on the state when he could make her choices. He was, in fact, having no authority on her. And how hurtful does that sound.

He could still recall the days when they were training so freely. He could still recall her smirks, her exclamations, her declarations, her announcements, and promises that she would someday surpasses him - until now, she still didn't. He didn't want to go easy at her, since she would notice and she would probably get mad at him for going easy. Tenten disliked being pitied, and he had acknowledged that fact.

Although, feeling very guilty like this, he wasn't sure that he was sorry and regretful that he had kissed her. Her lips tasted perfect, just the way he wanted it to be. His expression of guilt was simply because she was mad at him for the reason he would like to call foolish.

But then again, he remembered that Uchiha Sasuke was her boyfriend and he was her comrade.

Whoa, HUGE difference.

Neji leaped to a tree branch and sat down, leaning back against the tree. He wasn't in the mood for training now - not when his mind was filled with thoughts that the weapon mistress was currently sparring with her boyfriend. He clenched his fist tightly, pressing down the thoughts that she may be doing something other than training with her boyfriend. After all, they were couples.

He gazed at the sky, almost lost in the puffy white clouds. Oh, crap. He was getting more and more like Nara Shikamaru each day - lost in thoughts and dreamily gazing at the sky, which shouldn't be an option for a Hyuuga like him. It happened ever since Tenten had happily told him that Uchiha Sasuke and she were friends now.

Neji closed his eyes, half-hoping that they weren't having accidents or whatsoever.

The last time he and Tenten had an accident in their spar match, she ended up on top of him, crashing and blushing madly. Now, he really hoped that she wasn't being on top of him or whatever. His eyes zapped open again when he sensed Lee's presence on the branch he's sitting at. "Lee." He acknowledged, with a small nod.

"Yosh, Neji!" The Green Beast smiled exuberantly, "Wanna spar?"

"No."

"But..."

"No, Lee." Neji shook his head with finality in his tone. Lee almost sighed heavily. Really, the fight or whatever was going on between his two teammates, it was really bothering him too. Finally he gathered his braveness and decided to ask Neji for the details - or in other words, interrogate him. Dangerous as it may be, Lee was determined.

"Neji." He started, sitting beside the Hyuuga prodigy. "I know what happened between you and Tenten."

"You do?" Neji looked surprised. "How? If she tells you, then she better get prepared..."

"No, no. Chill, rival!" The exuberant green beast grinned and then his face turned serious again. Having playing shougi almost everyday with Shikamaru, a little tint of the strategist's mind had popped itself into his mind. "She didn't tell me, but I just know."

He narrowed his eyes at Lee, and blushed a single tint of red. "It's none of your business, Lee." He told him calmly, coolly, casually. He was not going to be intimidated by this beastly guy. He never had, never will, and never should be intimidated. Not by anyone. The prodigy crossed his arms over his chest, looking impatient. "But in that case, don't tell anyone."

Lee grinned. "Of course I won't share the secret of your suddenly springing youth, Neji!" He tapped his lifetime rival on his shoulder and smiled with full understanding, "But I was wondering..." He lowered his head at Neji, simultaneously changing his voice to a merely audible whisper, "Why did you actually do that?"

Lee was having such luck. He didn't really understand what he was talking about, but then again, he didn't give any hints that he didn't understand. It was all based on the situation that was showing itself, clearly.

Tenten was mad at Neji. A girl mad at a boy. One reason: the boy must have done something wrong.

Since he didn't really know what did 'the boy' done, he chose the other way around: asking why first. Really, playing and losing to Shikamaru each and every day in shougi had paid itself off today!

While Lee was having the time of his life complimenting himself, Neji was struck by a dilemma. So Lee did know what happened between them. And knowing Tenten, she wouldn't add some 'spices' to the story, and she will tell Lee the complete story, bluntly, completely, perfectly, without a thing being cut off or being added.

Meaning... Lee knew about _the kiss_.

But then again, Neji wasn't that stupid. He eyed the exuberant teammate of his and asked him back, "Why did I actually do what?" He smirked, "I didn't do just one thing." The truth was, he really didn't. There was the kunai. The kiss. And the part how he felt very lost after that. And lots other. How the Hyuugas scolded him. How even Hiashi-sama had lectured him for being late for more than an hour. And still, how he can think about nothing but the weapon mistress until now.

Lee was out of words. He tilted his head, thinking, If I guess wrong in this, I'll do seven thousand push-ups. He closed his eyes and thought for another moment. Neji and Tenten were almost like couples, but they were not. One thing he could do... "You kissed her." He guessed, really stabbing Neji's heart to the point.

Hyuuga Neji flinched.

Lee looked at him in utter and complete disbelief. "You really did!" He shouted, not completely understanding the expression on the cold prodigy's face.

"No, Lee." Neji lied. He was not going to give away his sins as easy as that. Lee could punch him and he didn't want to get into a spar right now. He just needed some time alone, thinking about this and that and settle up his problems. Then he will go as nothing had ever happened. Yeah, that sounds like a perfect plan to him.

"... You did." Lee concluded, his face red out of excitement and disbelief. "You just made the flower of our team a traitor to her own boyfriend, Hyuuga Neji! You just..." He held his hand over his face, looking shocked. Apparently the words he spoken had bigger and stronger effects to him himself. Lee looked flushed - he was shocked to death.

_Neji had kissed Hyuuga Tenten._

_NO, Hyuuga Neji had kissed Tenten. _

_Yes, that's right. _

Lee frowned. "You kissed her?"

Neji, who by now thought that it was way too troublesome to argue with him, silenced. Noticing the obviously excitement on Lee's face, he added quietly, "Lee, I don't want to talk about this."

"... But Neji!"

"No." Neji stood up, "I'm not going to stay here anymore. I'm going for a walk."

"But Neji..!"

Neji didn't even bother to say anything. He went away from trees to trees, the shinobi style, from branch to branch. He was fleeing to the direction of Team Seven's Training Grounds, only God knows why. And because Neji wasn't a god, no matter how clever he was, he didn't know why his feet were leading him there.

He had only one thought.

He was not going to let Uchiha have her.

_Never._

--

Tenten summoned her weapons as she did acrobatic in mid-air, cleverly springing her scrolls that weapons were flying to Sasuke with the highest speed they can obtain. The weapon mistress landed gracefully on the ground, still springing her scrolls.

Weapons were still flying. And she was on top of her stamina right now - training with Sasuke didn't make her tired at all. The guy chose to avoid her weapons than dodged it like Hyuuga Neji did.

She released a small and thin amount of chakra on her fingers and tied her weapons with the chakra strings. As she swung them at Sasuke, the boy did hand seals and shouted, "Ryuuka no jutsu!" Tenten sniffed as he burnt all of her chakra strings. She smirked at him, taking out two scrolls now.

As she did another set of acrobatic in the air, she summoned even more weapons, "Sogu: Shu Senjin!" She yelled -Weapon: Thousand Swords Array.

She summoned all of her kunais and flung them at him, and much to her horror, she remembered that Sasuke was not Neji. He didn't have some an ultimate defense or whatever, and since Shu Senjin was a jutsu to summon weapons consecutively until her kunais were finished -which by the way, she had more than twenty thousand kunais somewhere-, he could die if he didn't flee or dodge or avoid all of it. And seeing Sasuke lying on the ground, looking very pale indeed, she held back her chakra strings, but it was useless. Her chakra strings had been flexible, long, and smooth. It was useless. As Tenten could imagine Sasuke being stabbed by thousands kunais, someone had jumped into the scene.

"Hakkeshou Kaiten!" The someone shouted, and immediately a circular wall of chakra prevented all of her weapons from going further and stabbing the unconscious body of Uchiha Sasuke.

Hyuuga Neji.

Tenten landed gracefully on the ground, her face showing relief, concern, and surprise. She knew that voice well - too well, sometimes. Sakura and Naruto had run to Sasuke, checking his condition.

"He's unconscious." Sakura examined quietly, looking and checking his heartbeat as she released some amount of chakra on her hand and lowered her hand to Sasuke's chest. The next minute they all knew, Sasuke was breathing lightly, still unconscious.

Tenten leaped to the body, looking very concern. "What happened?" She asked timidly.

Sakura turned at her angrily. "You should have been more careful, Tenten!" She snapped, "Sasuke could die, you know!"

"I'm sorry." The weapon mistress looked very guilty indeed, "That will never happen again. What make him unconscious?"

"How should I know?" Sakura snapped again, "You're his girlfriend! You're supposed to know him more than me! I'm supposed to ask you, not the other way around! And Tenten, for once only I will tell you. He hasn't been eating properly - or if he has, he wasn't eating something very healthy!"

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto interrupted, feeling a little pity for Tenten who by now looked very scrunched by Sakura's sudden outburst.

"And don't you 'Sakura-chan' at me, Naruto!" Sakura snorted, standing up. She nodded to Neji with a grateful but scrunched smile on her face. "Thank you for that one, Neji-san. If you are not here..." She eyed Tenten mockingly. "He could have died."

Neji's face was as hard as stone. He silenced, just nodding a little to acknowledge Sakura's words. He didn't say anything, nor do anything. He stood up, looking at Tenten for what seemed like eternity to her.

The weapon mistress zapped back at reality, looking at the unconscious body of Uchiha Sasuke. She felt very guilty indeed. She bent down and caressed his cheek gently, the way a girl should do to her boyfriend. "Sorry, Sasuke-kun." She whispered and looked at Naruto, who was bending down and taking Sasuke to his back.

The Kyuubi boy grinned. "Don't worry, Tenten." He said, almost comfortingly, "I am going to take this retard to his apartment and take care of him. But please, do come later after you finish your..." He looked at Tenten, and then looked at Neji and to Tenten again, "... Erm, unfinished business. So yeah, goodbye."

"Thank you." Tenten closed her eyes in relief. "I will treat you five bowls of ramen for that, Naruto."

"I have your word!" said Naruto, and walked away in the fastest speed he could maintain, leaving Neji and Tenten together in peacefulness, silence, and lost of words.

Neji's mind was swimming. He looked at Tenten, half-hoping that she wasn't that mad at him again. He almost panicked when the girl looked at him, quietly but sharply. He noticed that expression on her eyes as his hopes died down - she was still angry. But there was a tint of gratefulness at him, and he really knew what that was for.

"Look, Neji..." Tenten started, giving him a faint and weak smile, "Thank you for that."

"... Yes." He replied after momentarily gazing expectantly at her. "Listen, Tenten. I'm sorry for... yesterday. It shouldn't have been that way. I shouldn't have... got angry at Sasuke and threw him a kunai or whatever. I'm sorry."

Tenten could tell that the prodigy was really sorry. And she could tell that he was bad at apologizing too. But no, she wasn't going to forgive him that easily. People who said girls were more forgiving than guys were just... _dumb ass_. Sure, sometimes she forgives. But in times, when she still has a grudge, there's no way she could forgive.

And certainly, she couldn't forgive Neji for kissing her. Yet.

"No, Neji." She said, holding up her hand, "I wasn't angry at you because of the kunai."

"... Then what?" He crossed his arms over his chest, looking quite arrogant. But Tenten knew that it was the Hyuuga's style, so there was no point to tell him to stop acting like an arrogant bastard. She forced herself to look at him in the eye. "You know more than I do." She whispered at him faintly.

Neji turned away. Her voice was not loud. Her voice was not harsh. It was forgiving, but still demanding.

"Neji." She warned.

He closed his eyes and opened it again. "I shouldn't have kissed you." He said, processing the word out of his lips clearly. When he said this, he was not blushing nor did he show any expression on his too cold eyes. "I know."

"... Yes." Tenten breathed. "So you do know."

"I'm sorry."

She lowered her eyes. If an apology could wipe matters away, there's no need for tears. She wiped the smile away from her face and looked away. "I have other things to do." She said coldly. "And Neji, you have no permission to be in Team Seven's training grounds. Go away."

Neji stared at her, disappointment filling his heart. She hadn't forgiven him. She was still angry. What for? He didn't recall doing anything wrong to her except the kunai. Oh, and the kiss... He closed his eyes, thinking hard.

Tenten stared back at him. He didn't know enough to make her forgive him. He didn't know how many buckets of tears she gave away because she had just lost her best friend - Hyuuga Neji, the cool, the calm, and the collected. And how she felt very hurt because of the kiss. And how she cursed the boy who kissed her with hunger, not with love.

And now he was standing in front of her, acting like a very different person indeed.

"I understand." Neji said at last, arrogance and anger filling his eyes once more. "Goodbye, Tenten." He said it with full determination, and without even waiting for her answer, he turned away, his back facing her, and went away.

Tenten fell to her knees once more as she tried to hold back her tears. Why did it feel so bad to see his back? Why did she feel like she will never see him again? She closed her eyes, holding back her tears successfully.

A kunoichi like her was not cut out to be in love.

Nor to be loved...

Especially by Hyuuga Neji.

**TBC**

--

**Authoress Notes**

So how was it? It's a bit… weird to my eyes. Anyway, please just tell me what the hell is missing!

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

**N.B**: Wait for long updates. Around fifteen days or so.


	5. Chapter 5: Betrayal

**Disclaimer: Not owning Naruto, as always.**

--

**Chapter Five: Betrayal**

--

Tenten wiped the sweat on the Uchiha's face heartily with a handkerchief. She was feeling very guilty indeed. Sasuke gave her a faint smile as she leaned down and put a wet towel on his forehead - he was having a slight fever. Not a dangerous one, but still, she was making up for whatever she had done wrong to him.

She knew, too, that he has been saving up his money so that he could buy her things she wanted, just as a responsible boyfriend Sasuke really was. She should have been thankful, yet she still thought about Neji once in a while.

Curse her.

"I'm very sorry." Tenten whispered, smiling weakly at him, "It wasn't supposed to happen that way. Are you okay?" What a stupid question. He was lying on the bed, looking weak and exhausted – she definitely did not see him as an 'okay'.

"I'm fine." Sasuke replied as he reached out a hand and caressed her cheek. "Aww, come on, don't get upset over nothing, Tenten. I'm just tired, that's all. In a few days or so, I'll be fine."

"You don't look fine." The weapon mistress said flatly. "Sakura told me that you haven't been eating properly for a week or so. You have been too harsh on yourself. I can cook you dinner." She immediately regretted her words after saying that. Fancy her cooking a dinner for him! She couldn't cook anything else but Chinese meals and some Japanese recipes. "I mean, I'll buy you a dinner." She quickly added.

He smirked. She didn't need to know that he didn't eat properly because of her. She didn't need to know that he was a needy man of food. Oh well, if she did, it'll hurt his… so-called man's pride.

"What?" She glared at him, demandingly. Understanding the expression on his face, she immediately defended herself, "Hey, I am not that good in cooking! I can only cook meat dumplings and Chinese food... I doubt you'll like my cooking. Most of them are burnt." She rolled her eyes, "The only person who ever says he likes my food is Neji."

_Oops. Wrong word._

She flushed. "I'm sorry." She almost stutters, but restrained herself, "I didn't mean that, Sasuke-kun."

On Sasuke's face was a faraway look, and Tenten noticed that he was maybe thinking about something else. She smiled a little, "You should go to sleep." She advised, standing up and pulling out blankets from his wardrobe.

She tucked him in his bed and gave him another smile, "I'll come here again, Sasuke-kun. I'm gonna cook some dinner at home... and bring some to you. Uh, right." She grinned, "Just get comfortable and sleep for a while, okay?"

He looked at her expectantly; half-expecting a kiss or a hug, but Tenten only smiled once more and disappeared behind his door.

Feeling disappointed, he drifted away into an innocent slumber.

--

_Back in the Hyuuga mansion..._

Hyuuga Neji was standing in the hallway of the Hyuugas, his face stoic and his eyes gazing blankly to the empty air. Lee was walking behind him, chirping happily about his plans for Tenten's birthday party. They were on their way to the training grounds, and Lee couldn't stop complaining about how boring their training will be since Tenten was not around.

However, Neji knew by heart that Lee was only tricking him into saying sorry to Tenten -which he did, but she didn't approve-, and he wasn't going to let his pride get trodden off again.

"Lee, just stop it." The prodigy said, somewhere between annoyance and irritation. Hearing her name for more than a hundred times in a minute only made him felt even more painful than he was originally.

Lee silenced, hearing the pain in his voice, and asked, his voice filled with concern, "You are still fighting with her, aren't you?"

Neji blinked warningly at him, not wanting to answer Lee's carefree question.

However, reading the expression on the prodigy's face, Lee quickly continued, "Don't worry, Neji. I'll ask Gai-sensei to fix you in a mission only with her and you could say sorry."

Neji's unemotional face darkened, "Lee, you better didn't tell Gai-sensei about this." He said warningly, glaring venomous glares into the green beast's eyes. Lee shook his head, a weak smile appearing on his lips, "I really wish that you two could get back together, Neji. It was awkward enough having only boys in the training grounds."

This sentence, however, enraged Neji. "We are never together, Lee." He said stonily, his face looking very stoic and impassive, but Lee could swear that he saw a hint of sadness, "And will never be." The Hyuuga finished, only saddening Lee even more.

The exuberant boy quickly turned his face to a happy one, "Okay, Neji. I'll leave it to you to order the birthday cake and decorations, okay? I'll go and make the invitations."

Neji smirked, "I thought we're going to the training grounds?" He asked flatly.

Lee grinned and patted his eternal rival's shoulder, "Let's call it off a day." He said gently, "Tenten's birthday is much more important than one of our daily trainings. I have not seen her smile freely for weeks, and I do hope she will. After the preparations are done, then let's get training. Don't forget the cake though, Neji, and the decorations. You could ask Ino-san for whatever decorations you needed, she'll help you." He paused, "You know Tenten _much_ more than I do."

"... Hn." The Hyuuga grunted.

Lee smiled, "I'm off." He waved goodbye and went out of the Hyuuga complex, leaving Neji deep in thoughts.

_Know her more than you do, eh, Lee?_

_Not anymore._

He sighed a mere little sigh and quietly turned to the gates of the mansion.

--

Yamanaka Ino was happily prancing around the counter, a full watering can on her hands. She bent down, watered a pot and straightened herself up again, and pranced over to the other counter, taking a vase with her. She pulled out the flowers and placed the roses on the table, humming lullabies. Ino then turned to the pots near her, examined the fresh-looking flowers near her feet and quietly chopped off some lilies.

She poured some water to the vase and inserted the freshly picked lilies in an orderly manner, as she swung around the store, dancing and still humming the lullaby, when she bumped into someone.

"Oh, sorry!" Ino quickly pasted an apologetic smile and turned around, expecting to see one of the flower store's regular costumers, but no, instead she saw someone who wouldn't be caught dead in a flower shop.

"Yamanaka-san." Hyuuga Neji nodded quietly, acknowledging her as the embarrassed girl turned redder for making one of the coolest, calmest, richest eligible men in Konohagakure saw her ugly dance.

"... Oh! He-hello!" She quickly greeted, her face still red but there was an utter indescribable shock painted. She blinked once and tried to be as sedate as possible, as she asked cheerfully, "Now what brings you here, Neji-san?"

His usually stoical facial expression changed a little, but quickly and silently returned to the usual composed Hyuuga Neji again. "I want to... ask a favor." He retorted coolly.

The kunoichi gazed at him questionably as she put down the vase on the counter. She then fingered her chin as she waited quietly for him to open up. "So what is this about?" She questioned when after five seconds he remained silent. Sometimes people just needed to be pushed, and this was what she was doing right now.

"Firstly, don't tell Tenten about this." The Hyuuga prodigy looked uneasy as he said that, but when Ino nodded, he continued, "About Tenten's upcoming birthday. Lee and I are planning a surprise party for her, and I need someone to organize the decorations and such. So..." He looked at her observantly, "Can you?"

The girl looked back at the genius quietly, examining him and considering her schedule. The flower shop her family raised was getting busier nowadays, but sure, she could and would manage if it was for her best friend. She remained thoughtful for a while, as she realized the hopefulness in the prodigy's eyes which didn't usually appear.

Yamanaka Ino smiled. "Of course, Neji-san." She said, and from the sudden lightness of air she could tell that Neji was very, very relieved when he heard her agree. "Please wait here for a moment." She told him and ran to the back of the store. Her mom was there, busily chatting with Shikamaru's mother. "Mom, I'm going out for a while, so please take care of the store!"

"Where are you going, Ino?" Her mother asked, "Shikamaru-kun's place?"

Ino rolled her eyes, "Nope." She replied, and suddenly she felt that her mother and Shikamaru's mother were scheming something, but she really didn't have time to deal with it now. Withdrawing, she sent a smile to Shikamaru's mother and quickly went out of the back room again. "Neji-san." She called the silent boy. "We need to talk about some things."

"... Sure." He replied, looking quite confused.

Ino grinned, took her coat from the coat hanger and led him outside the store.

--

"Shoot." Tenten cursed as she packed the hot Miso Soup she just cooked in her kitchen. She had just remembered - if she was cooking soup, then she must take the long way - walking, and not leaping from roofs to roofs as she usually did. Oh well, if sacrifices were to be made, then she will just have to cope with it.

She slammed the door behind her after locking it first, and then she headed towards Uchiha Sasuke's house. As she walked, she couldn't help but hope that Sasuke will like her cooking. After all, this was the first time she cooked for the sick, and she was not sure if she did it well or not.

_Sasuke-kun_, the bun-haired kunoichi remarked in her heart. Damn it, she kept forgetting that she was supposed to call him with the suffix 'kun' behind his name. She couldn't even understand why she should call him that, but Ino and Hinata had her assured that calling him with a 'kun' was the most basic dating rule of all.

_It has a nice ring to it_, she convinced herself. _Sasuke-kun. Sasuke-kun. Yes, that sounds nice. Neji-ku..._ She scolded herself sternly. _Enough thinking about him, Tenten! Neji is just not worth it!_

Before she even realized it, she was already in front of the Uchiha's door. Tenten coughed loudly, trying to erase the damn impacts from thinking about the suffix 'kun' as she inserted the key and quickly made her way to the doorway. She closed the door silently behind her and walked into the living room, failing to see a pair of a female ninja shoes by his doorsteps.

The weapon kunoichi placed the plastic box containing lunch on the dining table and proceeded to Sasuke's room. Being his girlfriend, he had given her the complete access to every part of his apartment. As she held out a hand to knock the door, she heard a familiar voice from the room.

"Sasuke-kun, do you like my cooking? Is it delicious enough?" That familiar sweet voice rang through her ears and into her eardrums, quickly but silently numbing her mind that she couldn't figure out whose voice it was.

She was stunned as Sasuke answered, "Yes, it is nice. Thanks for coming, Sakura..."

"No problem." _So it was Haruno Sakura..._ Tenten bit her lip, imagining that the pink-haired kunoichi was smiling at Sasuke and was feeding him with a _plastic pink spoon_, and Sasuke was smiling back at her, eating from the _plastic pink spoon_.

The weapon kunoichi stepped back, not wanting to interrupt the moment, as a little thought dawned on her. Hey, he was her boyfriend, right? She quickly opened the bedroom's door without knocking first, forcing an apologetic smile on her face.

So she was wrong.

Sakura was not holding a plastic pink spoon; instead she was feeding Sasuke with a metallic silver spoon.

"Hey!" Tenten greeted cheerfully, and suppressed a surprise look, "Oh, I don't know you are here, Sakura!"

"... Mm... Right." Sakura looked awkward.

"Tenten..?" Sasuke's voice sounded a little uneasy.

She managed a cool smile. "Actually I brought you lunch, Sasuke-kun." She smiled nicely, burying the presence of betrayal in her heart, "But I see that Sakura is kind enough to cook you something first. And I am not going to cut anything you are talking about _as friends_, so this little kunoichi will be off!"

Before neither Sasuke nor Sakura could say anything, Tenten proceeded to the door with the fastest speed she could maintain and quietly disappeared from sight after closing the door softly behind her.

She pulled out a sticky note from her waist pouch and scribbled some notes on it: "_Miso Soup. Heat for 2 minutes before eating. I'll come back later_." She hesitated for a while, but then added, "_Love, Tenten_." and stacked the note to the box, and then left the place silently.

Tenten leaped from roofs to roofs, not really knowing where she was heading and why, until she arrived at a familiar place - her team's training grounds. She was stunned as she gazed around the empty grounds - her usually crazy-about-training teammates were nowhere to be seen, and yet she was craving for company!

She sat down under the tree where Neji usually sits, and quietly buried her head between her knees, suddenly feeling very betrayed. She remained untouched, even when a bird pecked her hair and flew away, but her silence also flew away when she heard footsteps heading her way.

Tenten looked up, only to the sight of Hyuuga Neji walking together with Yamanaka Ino. She nearly choked as Neji noticed her; in his eyes were the slightest hint of surprise. Ino gave her a sweet soothing smile as the blonde pulled Tenten up.

"Hey!" She greeted, and pulled her closer, her voice simultaneously changing into a soft whisper, "All girls' sleepover three days from now, Hinata's mansion. Up for it?"

The weapon kunoichi glanced into her friend's blue eyes and timidly whispered back, asking, "Am I allowed there?"

"Of course you are, stupid!" Ino laughed, her voice only audible to her ears, "Why otherwise?"

Tenten gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Ino." She said, "I'll be there."

Ino gave her two thumbs-up and turned to the patiently waiting Hyuuga prodigy. "Well, Neji-san... I'm off then. About _that_, just come by any time and we'll sort problems out. I'm always available in the shop."

Hearing this, Neji nodded in satisfaction. He gave Ino a tiny smile, "Thank you for the time, Yamanaka-san."

"No probs." Ino replied confidently. She turned at Tenten, flashed a farewell and quickly disappeared from the training grounds, leaving the awkwardness between the two that seemed to be building up each and every second.

"Umm..." Tenten looked at the stoical face of Neji and suddenly felt scared. "I'll be off too, then. _Don't_ bother chasing me away." She immediately regretted her rude words as the Hyuuga's face hardened - she didn't mean it to come out that way! She quickly turned away, only to be stop by a hard grip on her wrist.

Tenten hastily turned back at Neji, who suddenly asked, "What's wrong?"

The weapon mistress was stunned by his all-knowing knowledge, but quickly regained her composure. "What's wrong what, Neji? Nothing is wrong! Everything is fine! The sun is shining so brightly, and there are no clouds in the sky! It will not rain for days and days!" Just as she said that, she felt a drip of water on her nose.

She looked up at the sky hastily and scolded herself. It was raining - and she was stupid enough to say that the sun was shining, the clouds were hiding, and that it wouldn't rain for days and days when it poured down!

"Okay, so I'm wrong about the sky!" Tenten added cheerfully, "But no, Neji, nothing is wrong!"

Neji raised his eyebrows. Her voice was far too high-pitched and cheerful. "Don't lie." he remarked quietly but deadly, "You don't feel okay. What is it?"

Again, the weapon mistress was stunned. Neji was being kind - far too kind - to her, remembering how cruel she was to him and how rude her words was and how unforgiving she had been at him. He was... simply _being a friend_. She gazed at him and noticed the soft look on his face, and that was when suddenly she felt very tired.

"Ouch, Neji." She whispered timidly at him, "I could never fool you, could I?"

He smirked arrogantly.

Tenten lowered her head. "I know. I'm sorry." She sighed, "Too many things have been happening these days, Neji, and I'm just tired." She felt his gaze glowed intensely at her and she added, "I know that I'm being a total bitch at you. I shouldn't have just got mad... because... because..." She took a deep breath and spat the word out with evident hesitation, "The kiss, and... and... I..."

She looked at him expectantly when the prodigy placed a hand on her hair, slowly stroking her, as he knew by heart that doing this could calm her down, could soothe her quite easily, and more importantly, could even tell her that he was always there.

_For her._

Neji smirked again. "It's okay." He said soothingly, "I understand." He took off his coat and put it over her head, preventing the rain from wetting her hair. "Let's go."

He pulled her by the hand, and suddenly she tightened her grip on his fingers as they walked hastily out from the grounds. He turned at her, feet still walking, as if he was asking "What?"

"I'm sorry." Tenten said seriously, "I'm sorry, Neji."

Neji looked stunned for a second, but he smiled the next. "It's okay."

She closed her eyes, leaving him pulling her to any place to take shelter in. As long as she was with him, she knew by heart that she will be safe. Because, she opened her eyes again, smiling to nobody in actual, because that is what friends are for, right?

Tenten closed her eyes once more, leaving him to take care of her.

She was with him.

Nothing else matters.

--

**End Notes**

It turns out shorter than I expected it to be, but yeah, this is the best I can give you right now. So enjoy it for a while, people! I'll take my time before jotting down Chap. 6!

Review please, and thanks for that little time you give for writing down the review. I really appreciate them! Thanks for the support, too.

**N.B: I won't promise you anything, but let us believe that the next update could come longer than any of you expect. I'm in the middle of a writers' block, even for the rest of my on-going fics. I'll work on that, so please just wait and be patient. Thanks for everything, though. Your reviews enlighten me and will always do. **


	6. Chapter 6: Insanity

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine and these disclaimers are getting boring.**

**A/N: **Anyhow, I really thank you for reviewing that much!! I wasn't expecting that many reviews for that chapter, since it especially wasn't the best, but here I go! Thanks, guys!! I love you all!

Here you go and please enjoy!!

--

**Chapter Six: Insanity**

--

"So are you ready to tell me what's wrong or not?" Hyuuga Neji asked, offering Tenten a cup of black coffee. The girl huffed on it and quietly sipped the hot liquid inside.

She almost vomited as she put down the cup down on the table – almost being the keyword right here.

"Bleargh, Neji! How on earth do you like such drink anyway?" Tenten questioned, having changing the subject pointedly.

Neji arched his eyebrows, playing along with her. "You know it's not that bad." He told her, "Black coffees don't use any sugar."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Tenten asked suspiciously, dumbfounded when sudden realization hit her, "Oh! Neji? Surely... Surely you're not on a diet, are you?"

He stared at her as if she comes from Mars or something like that. "No, of course not." Before he has opened his mouth, Tenten has replied her question herself. Neji was fit (and cute) enough to be a strong (and cute) shinobi, why should he go on a diet?

Tenten sighed as she brought the cup to her lips once more and sipped the warm drink with her ruby red lips. On second thought, the liquid really didn't taste all that yucky. She gazed around the Hyuuga mansion observantly.

Neji has brought her there due to the slight drizzle of raindrops and the fact that her apartment was further away than this big mansion. He, too, has offered her _his_ favorite type of coffee and gave her shelter.

He was being nice to her. Not that it was that surprising, since even if Neji didn't really show it, he was kind-hearted.

The weapon mistress smirked at the silent boy profusely, as she dried her hair with a white towel embroidered with the symbol of a caged bird.

_Really_, she wondered, _how much things are discriminated in this rich, harmonic-looking gigantic household?_

How can even such a small towel be labeled by the cursed seal's mark to differ the main house and the branches?

"How repulsive." She spat out unconsciously, making Neji's eyes twitched in confusion.

"What?" He asked, not getting what she meant.

Tenten smiled sweetly at him. "Nothing." She replied calmly as she wondered whether Neji has chosen to totally forgive the main house or not. Sure, she knew Hiashi-sama has told him the truth and Neji has pretty much given away most of his hatred, but whether Neji has really forgive them or not was still unknown.

Though, she wants to believe that he has forgiven them. After all, the prodigy himself wasn't one to hold grudge for that long. Yes, he does hold grudges, but not after ten years…

He pretty much has avenged himself before the period passed, right?

"You know, Neji..." Tenten started, gazing into his eyes intensely, "I think you should just..." She stopped and smiled, much to his disappointment, and said, "Nothing."

"Tenten, it doesn't sound like nothing." The prodigy pointed out casually, "What are you trying to pull exactly?"

"Nothing." She repeated, and more firmly this time, "I'm serious!"

Neji tried to glare at her, but this time his features failed him. He stared dumbly at her instead, making her laughed at this gracious stare.

"Oh, well." She smiled at him, "By the way, I want to ask you something..."

Before she could continue her sentence, the Hyuuga has already cut her out, "I think _I'm_ the one who should ask _you_ some questions, Tenten." He interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest arrogantly.

Tenten winced and sniffed audibly, "If you are going to ask me what is wrong-" she began, "-then I must disappoint you, Hyuuga Neji. There is nothing wrong with me. I am completely fine. In fact, I am so very happy right now!"

As the sentence flew out of her lips, he arched her eyebrows, indicating confusion. "Actually I was going to ask whether the coffee is good or not, since you are the first one to drink my mix." He stated innocently, "But since you reminded me about that, yeah, I am going to ask you and you are going to answer me."

Tenten sipped the vast liquid with medium consistency in her cup once more and pasted a sarcastic look on her face.

"Oh yeah?" She smirked evilly, "How do you know if I am going to answer your question or not?"

"You will." Neji simply replied with absolute determination. He poured himself another serve of black coffee and drank it quietly, his pearly-colored eyes still fixed at hers.

Tenten shuddered, suddenly feeling nervous of him. His eyes were so captivating, hypnotizing and capturing her like a bird with its prey. She turned away, her already red cheeks reddening furiously.

Neji put his cup down and suddenly reached out his hand, touching her loose, untied dark hair. "You, _are _going to tell me." He said casually, but there was still a hint of confidence in his voice.

"How so?" The weapon mistress managed a cool reply as she gazed into his intense pale eyes, almost drowning in his gaze.

_God, those eyes_… She could stare at them forever, drowning in the intensity of those white, beautiful, silver orbs if she doesn't remember about Uchiha Sasuke.

"You can never fool me." He reasoned arrogantly, raising his eyebrows in the most conceited manner he could muster. After a few seconds, he added, "And you know that very well, Tenten."

Tenten shivered under his gaze, chills rising in her spine. His voice was so deep; one could drown herself in it and never find herself back again. Not surrendering, she glared at him, "I said nothing is wrong!"

"Still refusing." Neji commented, almost chuckling that the girl was just as obstinate as he was - a little lesser, maybe. Seeing her denial, he sipped his drink again and quietly asked, "How is Uchiha?"

Tenten snorted. "He's fine." She retorted, "Safe and sound at home. Tucked in bed, eaten good food. See? Nothing is wrong! What's not so fine about him?"

Neji stared at her face, his eyes drilling into her, searching for the truth. "You're lying." He pointed out flatly, "If he is fine, you will be there with him. You won't be in our grounds, looking very lost indeed, and you will accompany him instead of wandering around like some insane girl. Unless..." He paused, "Unless he is with someone else right now."

Tenten glared at him again. At times, she admired him for having such clever brain. At other times, she just wished that he wasn't that clever or sharp. No wonder people call him a genius - Hyuuga Neji was always able to give a complete analysis of a situation (in her case, someone) along with a nearly one hundred percent accurate prediction of the reasons.

"Am I right?" The prodigy asked, looking slightly amused by his own conclusion.

Tenten scowled. Damn that genius mind of his! "Maybe." She replied indifferently, pasting an innocent look on her face while Neji's stayed blank.

"Maybe usually means yes." The Hyuuga said seriously, "Most definite of all, you wouldn't say 'maybe' if it's an utter no."

"You know me very well, Hyuuga Neji." Tenten grumbled as her fingers twiddled with her dark hair, "All the time - sometimes too well." She lowered her head subconsciously as she let a sad smile crept to her lips.

"You're upset." Neji stoically said, as he poured another cup of black coffee for her. He was slightly relieved that the hot liquid was helping her regained color on her cheeks.

She looked up and sighed, barely audible, "You're right."

Under the table, Neji's fists clenched. "What did he do to you?" He asked, still managing his voice and his expression to be somewhat calm yet cool.

"Nothing." Tenten replied stubbornly, causing him to harden his clenched fist and dug his nails into his empty palm.

"Tenten." He said in a dangerously warning tone. But then his face softened. "Tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help you to get it right... Hey, we're..." He paused, "We're teammates, right?"

It was always 'teammates'. Never 'friends', let alone 'best friends'. If she didn't know him better, she would be very much annoyed by this stand-alone attitude of his, but she knew him all too well.

Knowing this, the bun-haired kunoichi smiled, "Thanks." She said softly, "I really appreciate it, Neji."

"So?" He arched his eyebrows silently, demanding for an explanation.

"Yeah. Sakura is with him." The girl said as she lowered her head, "She... I think she still loves Sasuke."

"Hn."

"I mean, Sasuke-_kun_." Tenten quickly added, scolding herself mentally to be more careful.

"... I see." Neji mumbled thoughtfully. It was no surprise for him. He has examined Haruno Sakura's behavior towards the Uchiha ever since Tenten got out with him, and having an almost accurate intuition, he knew that she was still ogling over him. Maybe she was just trying to suppress her feeling because he was unavailable now, but she just couldn't. She has loved him for years! But nonetheless, Neji appreciated her greatly for trying. At least that meant Haruno Sakura considered Tenten as her friend, too.

"I am so stupid!" Tenten groaned loudly, having cut off the thoughts that were flying in Neji's brainy head. He looked at her quizzically as she continued, "I shouldn't have go out with him in the first place! If I don't, things wouldn't have been this way..!"

"It would be worse." Neji interjected. "Don't regret, Tenten. Anything but regrets. You know yourself that it doesn't help anything."

"I know." Tenten growled, almost in utter frustration, "I know, Neji. But sometimes... sometimes I just wished that there's an opportunity to turn back the time. I will reject him, not accept him! And things would just be much, much better if he hasn't known that I like him too!"

"... You like him?" Neji's voice was almost a whisper.

Tenten gazed at him stubbornly. "Of course." She answered, looking at him as if he comes from Venus, "Of course I like him, Neji. If not, why would I have accepted his feelings in the first time? That's... that's just simply ridiculous!"

"Hmm."

"What do you think?" The weapon mistress snapped, "Do you think I don't like him? Do you think I just... accepted him because he is one of the most popular guys on earth?"

"Honestly?" He retorted back. "Honestly, yes."

"What!?" Tenten scowled, "Do I look like such a heartless person?"

"No." Neji replied calmly, "Who says that?"

"Well, you make it sounds like that!" She muttered, drinking down the whole cup. On the third thought, black coffees really did taste wonderful! No wonder Neji loved it. She shouldn't have doubt the Hyuuga's taste buds. "You make it sounds like I am the evildoer, and he is the victim!"

He gazed at her blankly, and she sighed, "Okay, whatever. I know that I shouldn't have told you."

"No... Wait." He cut off her sighs. "What do you want me to do, anyway?"

She smirked and jabbed her index finger at his chest, and smiled softly. "Just... forget everything that has ever happened, Neji." She said consciously, "And by that you have lessen my burden by two hundred percents."

"I have." Neji said quietly.

"You have?" She stared at him, confused, "You have forgiven me for everything I've done?"

He nodded without saying anything.

She smiled in satisfaction, and suddenly she really did felt that her burden was taken away - just for a moment.

And in that moment of spontaneity, she jumped to his side and hugged him dearly.

Neji coughed as his cheek went slightly pink, but he let his two arms wrapped around her slim waist gently too.

"Thank you... Neji." Tenten whispered softly to his ears. "Thank you."

He smirked arrogantly. "You're welcome."

--

Haruno Sakura was staring at an advertisement in the newspaper of Konoha. She really was damn bored, she has nothing to do, she has cleaned the house, and she has finished the dishes…

Basically, she has nothing to do.

And so, she read the newspaper.

Which was not in her usual daily schedule.

And this… _advertisement _about the Cherry Blossom festival just a week after this… She would definitely ask Sasuke-kun whether he wants to go or not. Though, she was sure that he will bring his… _girlfriend _with him.

But it's okay… She'll bear it. After all, it wasn't the first time Sasuke left her.

Though it was the first time he left her for another girl…

Just as she began considering more facts, the doorbell rang.

Sakura crossed her heart as she opened the door of her house, hoping it was her dearly Uchiha Sasuke, already healthy and fit.

But her hopes were all trashed when she met eyes with a man - someone genius who happened to be Hyuuga Neji.

"Neji-san." Still, she acknowledged him politely, "Good night. What are you doing here?"

Neji coughed loudly, "Let me get to the point." He told her, almost coldly. "Do you have any spare time tomorrow?"

"Spare time?" Sakura repeated, narrowing her eyes. "What do you mean... spare time?"

"Free time." He changed the words quietly.

"No, I mean... why are you asking me this?" She asked suspiciously, leaning on her door sill.

This man in front of her was one closer to Tenten than herself. She _must _be careful, whether she likes it or not. "You're not planning something with Tenten, are you?"

_How repulsive, _Neji thought, and he almost spat the word out, if his mind didn't dawn on Tenten and all her troubles nowadays.

He was here for her, and he didn't want to ruin her relationship anymore, right?

Looking at Sakura's pretty emerald eyes, he decided to get this over as soon as possible. It was very possible that he could enrage himself if he stays a moment longer thinking about how rude Sakura sounded just then.

"I… am just wondering if you want to go out to the shopping district tomorrow…" The Hyuuga prodigy said, his voice sounding huskier and lower than what he has intended at first. "There's this… garage sale with fifty percent discount, I heard."

He has heard about the stupid garage sale from a maid in the Hyuuga compound, who has supposed that he will go out with the 'bun-haired girl who looks very friendly' rather than the 'pink-haired friend of yours that rarely comes'.

Then again, he needs to use his advantages whenever possible, right? That's what brains are for.

"Huh?" Sakura looked surprised as she arched her eyebrows quizzically at the prodigy in front of him. Has the _Hyuuga Neji _just asked her to take her out… shopping?

That was almost weird.

If she wasn't aware that he was a best friend of Tenten, she would immediately accept his offer. But then again, it wasn't like Tenten was going to kill her or something like that. The weapon kunoichi may look wild, but she was one of the kindest people here in Konoha.

She eyed Neji once more before breaking her voice, "Do… Do you really mean it?"

As Neji nodded, a curve formed on her lips into a nice smile as she squealed and automatically enveloped him in a warm, nice hug. "Thank you, Neji-san!"

Stiffening in her arms, keeping his breath completely quiet as his eyes twitched almost dangerously, dark aura emitted out of him.

Suppressing the urgency to kill inside him, he quickly said awkwardly, "You're welcome." He tried to smile but he failed, resulting in a weird smirk that was quite freaky, actually.

It was all for the sake of common courtesy, really.

It's not like he was going to waste his energy smiling to a kunoichi he never really cared about.

"So, I'll pick you up tomorrow. What time will be good?"

Sakura looked thoughtfully at him for quite a while, "Seven AM is fine." She replied sweetly, smiling at the taller man with her sweetest smile. "And… Neji-san, please don't eat breakfast. I'll cook you my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches recipe! I make mean grilled cheese sandwiches… Do you like them?"

"Any will be fine." He replied quietly, trying to remember when was the last time Tenten made him and Lee grilled cheese sandwiches experimentally.

She was just trying her new oven, but it turned out very nice, in actuality. The weapon mistress was good not only with weapons, but with housework as well, from the looks of it.

"Well… I'm off now." He said, turning away and walking out of her house yard without waiting for her answer.

Sakura looked after her emerging back and suddenly let out a loud call. "Neji-san!" She called after his back, stopping his quick and constant steps.

As he turned around to look at her, eyebrows furrowed together as his note of confusion, she smiled again, "Thanks for asking me. Do you… want a drink or something?"

Neji looked a little taken aback. He didn't expect the well-known as loud kunoichi to be this grateful at him for just a little shopping offer, but probably it was because of the thought that he will be paying for her goods, just being a gentleman he was required to as a man of the rich(est), prestigious Hyuuga clan.

Oh well, anything was fine for him. Hiashi-sama has given him quite big amount of money too, just in case he needs it for anything.

It was not a secret in the clan that Hiashi secretly favors Neji, but nobody ever try going around that with the clan leader himself.

It was like asking for him to kill you, and nobody in the clan was brave enough to die in such age.

Instead of giving it away on little, unneeded things, Neji has been saving it.

He did not really know why he was, and what plans did he have for the money later on, but he knew that he was waiting for a moment to come by.

The moment when Tenten wants anything, but was too shy to tell him and was saving her own money, he could just snatch the amount needed and buy her that, later presenting the wanted thing to her with made-up reasons.

Now that it turns out to be Sakura he will be paying for, Neji didn't care that much. Tenten has never be dependent on him, anyway, for things like money.

And behind it all, it was really for Tenten, right? It was enough of a reason.

He looked at the kunoichi and the hopeful expression in her greenish eyes.

"My honor," He replied at last, earning a high-pitched squeal from her as she pulled him inside her house, which was, to his silver eyes, so unlike Tenten's scruffy but comfortable apartment flat, Sakura's house was cleaner and more organized.

"Please sit down." Sakura said, pointing to the yellow leather sofa inside her living room, and then she disappeared into a random room which Neji thought was a kitchen.

He plopped down to the couch and gazed around the room once more, and then to the picture frames near the TV rack.

There was a picture of the Haruno and Sasuke, her beloved team seven, Hatake Kakashi and her, Yamanaka and her when they were still kids, Naruto and her, and there was a picture of Tenten and her.

Looking at the happiness of their faces inside the picture, Neji assumed that they were pretty good friends back then before Tenten and Sasuke started going out.

For him, it was funny how girls' friendship seemed so vulnerable that even an avenger like Sasuke could mess it up and break it beyond repair, something like this… _But is their relationship really beyond repair_?

Neji should think not. After all, they were kunoichis, and kunoichis just didn't act like normal, girly-girls who broke off their friendship just because of _men problems_.

Hopefully.

Five minutes later, Sakura came into the living room, bringing a tray of chocolate-chip cookies and two cups of tea. She put the tray down on the table and offered one to him, which he took politely, and then opened the tin of the cookies.

"Make yourself at home." The pink-haired kunoichi said generously, sipping her own fuming tea. She gazed around the room for a while, looking for a topic for conversation. "So… Neji-san, what do you usually do on your days off?"

The Hyuuga prodigy tried not to look at her weirdly. He restrained himself pretty well, since the expression in Sakura's face was still as hopeful as usual. Maybe this was the kind of talk couples do, too. He was completely oblivious to this sort of things, actually.

He gazed at the kunoichi as he reminded himself what his purpose was.

He just… wanted to get Sakura away from Sasuke for a few days until Tenten and the Uchiha's relationship get warm again.

It was a very hard task for him, remembering that he really dislikes the Uchiha, and how he hates the fact that it was Tenten the silent avenger was going out with.

But then again, he did this all for Tenten. And no, she didn't ask him to do it – he simply wants to.

And honestly, she knew nothing about this… so-called plan.

So for the sake of this all to go smoothly, he took a deep breath before finally answering, "Well… I usually train." He replied stonily.

Silence.

"Only that?" Sakura asked, slightly intrigued. "No wonder you become so strong."

Another silence.

The Hyuuga prodigy almost sighed – almost being the keyword. If this was all only for a joke, he will leave the place immediately. But this was for Tenten, and it might be good for her if he tries to be more sociable.

He looked at the kunoichi, feigning an appreciative look, "Thank you." He said calmly, "If I don't train… I usually meditate. Yeah, around those activities, actually. What do _you _do on your days off?"

"Me?" Sakura grinned happily, looking thoughtful all of a sudden. "I do all sort of activities, Neji-san. Sometimes I go shopping with my family in the marketplace; sometimes I accompany my mom buying a new set of wardrobe for both of us… Other times we just do some groceries shopping for the house, and sometimes window shopping." She giggled as Neji tried to listen to her attentively.

Not noticing Neji's flat face, she continued, "Oh, and sometimes I train, too, if Naruto, Sasuke-kun, and Kakashi-sensei are all available. I also spend time reading novels, mangas, sometimes only watching TVs, baking cakes… Sometimes I also hang out with Ino, Hinata and Tenten, too… Girls' stuff."

"Oh." Neji managed a little smile, not wanting to know what exactly she meant by 'girls' stuff'. "Must be interesting."

"Yes, it is!" Sakura smiled happily at him. "You know, Neji-san, I am the type of person who gets addicted to stuffs easily." She said, pausing a while as if remembering something. "There was once when I got _really _addicted at meditating, and my family took the wrong path and brought me out shopping in the bookstore. I ended up buying a whole lot of books, too many of them, and some of them remain untouched!" She laughed at her own mistake, "Hey, Neji-san… You like meditations, right?"

Neji arched his eyebrows. "How do you… know?" He asked silently.

The pink-haired kunoichi smiled endearingly, "Tenten mentioned it so many times before, almost every time we talked about… you." She finished daringly, "Although there weren't many times, but you constantly become our topic, Neji-san."

The Hyuuga prodigy simply smirked on this statement, not wanting to draw anymore information out of the babbling kunoichi's mouth. It was weird enough to even _think _that Tenten talked about him, with _Sakura_ moreover.

"Well… meditation is healthy, for one reason." He stated randomly, trying to get out of the topic of Tenten as soon as possible. "Sometimes it helps you clear away negative thoughts, too…"

Not realizing their sudden drastic topic change, Sakura grinned, "I completely agree!" She said cheerfully, "Hey, there's a very good book about meditation I have upstairs. Do you want to see it?" She looked a little hopeful, and Neji, who was interested in their topic by now, nodded silently.

The girl squealed again and pulled him upstairs, passing the corridors, and then to her bedroom.

Neji inhaled another deep breath as he realized that her room was mostly covered in… pink. Pink curtains, pink walls, pink desk. He scowled as he sat himself on Sakura's (thankfully) white-covered bed, although decorated with a pink teddy-bear as well. Obviously, it might not be just her hair.

The kunoichi herself was almost… crazy of pink.

"Here." Sakura shoved a meditation book to his face.

"I haven't read this before." He told her quietly, returning his attention to the book, examining it in amusement, "Can I… possibly borrow it? I'll return it some days after that."

"Of course!" The pink-haired kunoichi grinned, "Just make sure you take me out everyday while the book is within your care!"

Neji simply looked at her, his eyebrows twitching.

"Hey, don't look so scared!" She shook her head in partial disbelief, smiling heartily, "I was just joking."

"_Obviously_." He muttered under his breath. His eyes caught the pink clock on her wall and stood up, "I must get going, then. It's already late."

Sakura looked at the clock, too. Five PM wasn't supposed to be _that _late, but whatever.

"Okay." She said, shrugging as she stood up, too.

She led him to the door, and he turned at her, eyes watching her politely, "So, Sakura-san… I'll come by around seven."

"Good!" Sakura smiled, "Thanks, though. Don't eat breakfast! I'll do my best to cook you a delicious one!"

He simply nodded and left the place without any more confrontations or protests, leaving Sakura behind in her trails of thoughts.

The pink-haired kunoichi chuckled lowly and locked her door from the inside, happy that she got a date for tomorrow. The garage sale would be fun with a date.

She was just too lucky to get a date, really.

Moreover, it was _Hyuuga Neji_.

Someone _Tenten _appeared to befriend with.

Or even someone she loves.

"Interesting." Sakura thought out loud.

**To be continued.**

--

**End Notes**

According to the data book, Neji's hobby _is _meditation. There, that's cleared. 

This is the best I can give you right now. I know, I know!! This wasn't _that _long, but I expect it to be… okay. Though, I would like to say that I do _not _hate Sakura and there will be **NO** Sakura-bashing here, so the 'evil' Sakura right up there is just there for the purposes I have in store. She's OOC, but… she's there for purposes, and I'm not good in Sakura characterization too.

Sooooo… Yeah, don't hate me for doing that xP. Please?

Please review, and thanks! xP.


	7. Chapter 7: Electrified

**Disclaimer: The great Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto.**

**A/N: **Thaaaaaankies for those who reviewed the last chapter!! I really love reading your reviews, they enlighten me and motivate me to write more and more! Gee, I have so many ideas for this story, so read on and enjoy!!

--

Chapter Seven: Electrified

--

Haruno Sakura sighed dreamily as she woke up from her peaceful slumber. She squinted her emerald eyes, using her hand to block the shimmering sunlight that went through her window and colorful curtains. She yawned a little before doing five sit-ups, as usual to what she does everyday after she woke up.

She straightened herself, slipped her feet into her pink piggy slippers before tending to her bed, folding her blanket neatly and re-arranging her pillows. Then she took her clothes – not her usual ninja ones, but a pair of white shirt with swirls of pink flowers on it, and a pink skirt to match her fashion up.

Sakura took her bath, not forgetting to spray some of her strawberry-scented perfume on herself, before going out of her bedroom once more. She attended the kitchen, taking out some eggs and a frying pan. She didn't want to take risks of cooking an unsuccessful breakfast like she had done when she promised to make _Sasuke _a good breakfast.

This time, she will not take any risks and just cook _the _Hyuuga Neji a healthy, delicious, though simple breakfast: omelet. Mushroom and smoked beef omelet, to be exact. As Sakura cracked the egg and quietly stirred them, she hummed a simple lullaby, reminding herself that she indeed was very lucky.

It was not often that _the _Hyuuga Neji asked someone aside from Tenten, the weapon mistress who happened to be his teammate, out. And when the day he did, Sakura never thought that it would be _her _he asked out.

Though she didn't really considered it as asking her out. She has begun being very much aware of the situation around her, and even if it was real, she still has to believe that Neji didn't ask her out for something sly behind it.

_Oh well_, Sakura thought as she added slices of smoked beef to the pan. _I just need to be careful, then_.

There was simply nothing wrong with going out with a handsome guy like the Hyuuga prodigy himself, and Sakura was determined to be happy about it.

If her dearest _Sasuke-kuuuuun!_ could find a girl that was not her, she will just have to show him that she could be happy with someone other than him, too.

It really was her honor, Sakura knew, that Neji has chosen her and not one of his fan girls.

Yep, believe it or not, he has fan girls too, though none of the girls was like Sasuke's fan girls, violent and sometimes even… bitchy.

Neji's fan girls were usually calm, quiet, and never really showing … umm, idolization towards the great Hyuuga prodigy. They admired him enough, his talents and his cute look, but never more than sending those calm and classy girls to ogle around him… and just _ogle_. Nothing else.

While, Sasuke's fan girls sure have gone beyond that level.

But then again, now was not the time to be thinking about Neji or Sasuke's oh-damn-perfect fan girls. Now that the Uchiha was unavailable, she would definitely have to agree that Hyuuga Neji was absolutely irresistible.

As in, he's damn hot!

It was around 6.45 AM when the bell of the Haruno's house rang. Loudly, to add to that, making Sakura almost jump out of her skin.

She let out a string of curses as she walked to the doorway. Even though she has live in the house for her life, she never quite got used to the loud bell.

She checked her reflection on the mirror of the doorway, to see if she looked fine and that everything was perfect before she resumed walking to the wooden door.

She was sure that it was not any of her parents – they have been gone for a mission, together. A three weeks A-ranked mission, and they have only gone for around a week. Surely it's not them.

The pink-haired kunoichi gave a warm smile as she kicked – no, _opened _– the door, and she was glad to see the very man she was just thinking about as she cooked.

"Hiya, Neji-san…" She said, cheerfully, "You're early."

"Hn." Neji nodded, simply being polite. "Good morning, Sakura-san."

She smiled again, as she stepped aside to give him way. She closed the door behind them, took his arm and dragged him into the living room. She then gave him a graceful wink before leaving him in the dining room.

The Hyuuga prodigy stood in the dining room, almost completely dumbfounded as he stared around the room, examining the room quietly.

It was neat enough for a girl who lives by herself currently.

Ah, it was Naruto who told him the reason behind Sakura's parents' absence, and the kyuubi boy has successfully made him a little pissed-off early in the morning, too.

He has gone for a walk since 5.30 AM today, wandering endlessly around Konoha for no apparent reason, when he ran into Naruto, who was just going to the Ichiraku to take his morning portion.

When Naruto asked him, Neji has explained (kindly) that he was going to see Sakura, and the Hokage wanna-be was very happy to hear that.

Happy, not to mention that he was mischievous, too.

Until now, Neji could still remember what Naruto said when they were parting. "You could do _anything _to her, you know, Neji!" He has exclaimed as he winked mischievously, "Her parents are away! Use your brain; they said you're a _genius_!"

The Hyuuga has simply glared at him, wondering how training with Jiraiya has made Naruto this perverted. He shouldn't be that clueless, though. It was not a secret that the Sannin himself was a pervert.

A very clever, mischievous, perverted pervert, in that case – really.

"Just sit down!" Sakura called from the kitchen, breaking away his train of thoughts. Her voice rang loud and cleared around the room before at last it quieted down again and he sat down on the nearest chair, wondering what she was up to.

"I'll be done in a minute!" She called again.

Neji gulped a little before letting his eyes wander around the room once more. This let's-eat-breakfast-together thing was quite new for him.

So far, only two _teenage _girls have been lucky to eat breakfasts with him.

One was Hinata, and they were on a special Hyuuga morning meeting at that time, so that didn't really should have count.

The second girl was Tenten, as you might have guessed. He has often eaten breakfast with her, remembering that their training actually started on 7 AM, but the so-called Team Gai was just so damn diligent that they started it on 6 AM, _sharp_.

Tenten, being the only girl in the team, has always felt that it was her responsibility to cook breakfast for the team.

She brought breakfast for all four people, but in the end it was always Neji and her eating it, since Gai and Lee were always in their insane training schedules.

Though Neji has secretly asked the green beasts why they were _always _away whenever Tenten brought them breakfast (which basically was every single day of their daily training), and figured out that they were a bit afraid of her cooking, thinking that she was a tomboy and never knew how to cook.

_Boy, they were wrong_, but Neji never really told them that. They wouldn't listen, and besides, it was always fun whenever they left them in the training grounds alone.

Still, don't get the wrong idea.

They were only… eating, though together.

Under a tree, and nothing _serious _happened.

The most memorable things that happened were just how they shared laughter (rarely), stories (most of the times), and sometimes jokes (or rather, _she _shared her jokes and he was simply there).

"Here." Suddenly, Sakura appeared behind him, bringing two plates of smoked beef and mushroom omelets, which surprisingly, seemed… delicious to Neji's eyes.

She put down the plates in front of him, and then strolled back to the kitchen, coming back only with two glasses of milk. She settled down and put one in front of him.

"Itadakimasu…" She said softly.

"Thank you." Neji managed to say as he spooned his portion and chucking it to his mouth. He managed to smile at her, swallowing the piece of omelet as her eyes shone questioningly.

"How is it?" She asked, and as he didn't reply, she muttered on, "I knew it! I must have too much salt to it, or too much pepper! Oh, gosh, I should have known that I only need to put one block of sa…"

"Sakura-san."

"Huh?" She looked up and stopped her ramblings, much to Neji's thankfulness.

He decided to smile casually (which was only a very thin smile) and gave her his praises.

"It's delicious." He said quietly, "Don't you worry. It's… fine. Not too salty, not too peppery… It's just right."

Sakura beamed unconsciously. "Thanks!" She said, "I was just… a bit… umm, nervous, I guess! But, you sure know how to fire compliments on girls! No wonder you have a lot of fan girls, Neji-kun!"

Neji froze right there. "What did you just call me?" He asked after swallowing half of his omelet. He would admit that Sakura was a good cook – it was no wonder, seriously, but _what did she just call him_?

"Neji-_kun_…" Sakura answered, flickering her eyebrows innocently, "Why? Do you mind?"

The Hyuuga stared at her for a while. "No." _Yes_. _Don't call me that._

"Then it's fine, right?" The pink-haired kunoichi smiled playfully, eating the last of her omelet. "Come on, let's go now!" She said, right after Neji finished his breakfast and gulped down the milk prepared for him.

"The dishes…" He began.

Sakura smiled, "I can do it after we go home!"

"I'll do it now, then." Neji said quietly, standing up and professionally taking the plates and glasses.

When she eyed him curiously, he simply replied, "It will stink when you go home. There's a chance that we will go home late of night."

The pink-haired kunoichi beamed a little and mentally made a note that Hyuuga Neji really was diligent, and clean, to add to that all.

He was almost winning over Uchiha Sasuke… in a way.

Neji put down the chinas on the sink and turned on the water. He sighed a little and examined the dishes.

It was another one of Tenten's rules: he _should _help her with the dishes right after they ate together, whether it was in her house or in his (though, in the Hyuuga mansion, they have servants everywhere).

It was a dirty job Neji never really imagine himself doing, but nonetheless he realized the benefits of helping Tenten to clean up – he learnt how to clean the chinas correctly without breaking any of them.

Now, standing right behind the sink, he was grateful that Tenten has given him so much to be shared one by one. If it wasn't for her, probably until now he didn't know how to tend to the dirty dishes. He smirked to himself, took the soap and began washing the plates carefully.

Sakura appeared behind him again, her hand sneaking to the other plate and helping him clean it up.

"Thank you." She whispered at him, meaningfully. "I am kind of fed-up with washing those plates, you know!"

"Don't mention it." The Hyuuga prodigy said, rinsing the plates and leaving it on the dryer. He washed his hands, wiped them dry and looked at her, "Where's your coat, then? We'll go now."

She sniffed at him and smiled again. "Right! Let's go!" She said, dragging him outside of the kitchen and taking her coat with her.

Neji almost sigh – _almost _being the keyword. Even as they trodden off the streets right now, he could already see that today was gonna be a long day…

A long day indeed, Neji.

--

"So, do you wanna go out now?" Uchiha Sasuke asked his girlfriend as he sat down on the couch, looking right at the figure of the weapon mistress who was cleaning up his plates.

He was definitely feeling much better, not to mention healthier: thanks to the food Tenten managed to cook for him within the last few days of his healing.

She arched her eyebrows quizzically at him, "Go out, Sasuke-kun?"

"Yes. Go out. There's a sale in the shopping district, and I can accompany you shopping if you want. They have a big sale, and I think that they sell weapons, too, though second-hand. You don't mind, do you?"

He smiled calmly as he took out his wallet from his sack. Seeing the horror expression on her face, he laughed, knowing that it wasn't about second-hand weapons but about the expenses. "Hey, don't worry about the outcomes. It's… my treat."

Tenten smile softly. "I know." She replied, "But you don't have to be too hard on yourself just for my sake, Sasuke-kun. It's not healthy for both your body and your mental strength. Even Sakura says that, and she's the best medic nin in our age line!"

_Not to mention, she's the only one_, Tenten added mentally, clearly not knowing what has gotten into her and her big brain.

Hearing the name Sakura, the situation between them immediately grew awkward. As Sasuke stayed silent, Tenten cursed herself for saying Sakura's name, though the positive way too.

Ever since the 'incident', she has been avoiding the topic of the medic nin with him, and certainly bringing her name up when they were just talking lightly was not a good idea. It never was.

"Tenten… About Sakura…"

She gave him a weak smile. "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun." She interjected him softly, "I'm not angry at you or Sakura. I'm just…" She stopped, seeming to be lost at words.

"You're just…?" Sasuke asked, "You're just what?"

"Never mind." She smiled awkwardly, "It's not important, anyway."

"Tenten, this is important. Your feelings are all important to me. _You_ are important." He retorted cockily, causing her cheeks to glow red shades. "And I… I don't ever want you to get hurt, Tenten. So please, if you're not used to it, just tell me. I'll… _stop _seeing her if you want me to."

The bun-haired kunoichi burst out laughing loudly. "Sasuke-kun!" She grinned cheerfully, "You don't have to do that for me! Don't worry, I'm not making you stay away from her or anything." She rolled her eyes, "Sakura is my best friend. There is no way she would betray me, really. Best friends don't do that!"

Sasuke smiled, relieved for no apparent reason. "Really?"

She nodded and returned the smile with a cheerful smile as well. "And I believe you, too. You won't betray me or something like that, will you?" She asked happily, as he nodded quickly.

She smiled again, "So, are we still going shopping or not?" She asked, putting down the magazine she has been reading as she accompanied him studying for the Jounin exam.

She waved her wallet in the air, "Hey, maybe I could treat you lunch after we do window-shopping!"

"Do we have anything better to do?" The Uchiha asked back, smirking.

"No." her eyes twinkled.

"Okay, then." He agreed, nodding as he stood up. "Come on, then."

--

The marketplace was already noisy, busy, and crowded when they arrived. Tenten gazed around the shops, and quickly smiled to herself.

"Let's go! The clothes' section!" She suggested, half-dragging him towards the east, where the clothes were located.

If she goes anywhere but there, she would wind up buying a lot. Just some window-shopping on fashion will definitely kill down her intention to shop, and when they enter the weapons' section later on, she will have no enthusiasm whatsoever to buy any weapon.

Tenten was not a shopaholic, but she couldn't stop her hand when it comes to weapons. Hey, the title 'weapon mistress' didn't come up from nothing!

Sasuke looked at her, a bit confused. "But, Tenten… I thought you don't like shopping clothes…"

"I know! But hey, maybe there are some interesting things there!" She winked at him, smiling, "You just need to learn a lot more to me, Uchiha Sasuke-kun!"

He tilted his head and suddenly played along. "Whoa." He said softly, "I'll be more than glad to learn, whatever it is."

Tenten laughed lightly. "Come on!"

--

"Aww, just look at that dress, Neji-kun! Isn't it beautiful?" Sakura asked, swirling around the shop. She snatched a random dress from a random rack and turned towards Neji, who was trying to act oh-so-gentlemanly by bringing _all _of her goods.

"Can I try this on, Neji-kun?"

Neji winced again as he nodded courteously. They have been circling the shopping district in around three hours, and she has already bought _four _bags of clothes!

Never again will he go out shopping with a… a… _shopaholic_ like Sakura!

Well, she's fun to be with, since she's really _loud _(that it could be annoying even though) and he needn't say a word since she never realize that he was being very, very much too silent.

Not only that, he winces every time she called him 'Neji-_kun_'.

Why did his name sounds so miserable when it comes to her lips?

_It's you who's miserable, _Neji thought to himself, looking at the bags he was just holding as he sat down on a bench. _Che_.

"Neji-kun, you've zoned out." Came her voice again.

"Hn." He grunted behind the pile of plastics bags he was holding. _Che, women shop much_. "Just go."

Sakura smiled appreciatively. "Thank you!" She replied happily as she swirled into the changing room with the dress she was holding onto.

The Hyuuga shoved all of the bags onto the bench and frowned, flexing his muscles as his face glowed tiredly.

He definitely has to agree with Shikamaru: shopping with girls was definitely and terribly troublesome _and _tiresome.

If he could choose, he would choose going on five B-ranked missions than shopping with any girl – except _maybe _Tenten, who rarely buys anything except weapons, which leads to the conclusion that he needn't move around or bring heavy bags like this, since she could just put away her weapons, which he has watched secretly but still found no way how did she do that.

Neji settled down, squeezing himself between the bags uncomfortably as he waited for Sakura to come out and show whatever she has in store.

Even if shopping with her was troublesome, he has to agree that she has good taste in clothes, and she perfectly knows which dress will fit into her somewhat well developed body just by looking at it.

He sighed heavily, though almost inaudible.

If only he was going with Tenten right now, he wouldn't need to experience this pure, eternal boredom that has dawned upon him ever since… oh, the moment they stepped here!!

"Neji-kun!" Sakura called, coming out from the changing room all of a sudden. She was wearing a dress she has fallen in love to earlier, and Neji has to admit that it looks very good on her.

He examined the dress curiously, though still unapparent. It was low-cut, the ends of it touching just right above her knees, and it was sleeveless yet strapless. It was nice, _sexy _not to mention, but still he didn't like it.

The reason?

It's electric pink.

Shocking pink.

And those kinds of 'flashing' pinks were never exactly Neji's favorite color.

He secretly prefers white or soft pink, like the pink on Chinese clothes Tenten mostly wore.

Her pink was soft, never too flashy, never too classy, and just right to the Hyuuga's pearly eyes.

Sakura, however, did not notice the faraway look on his face.

"How do you think I look?" She asked, almost bouncing enthusiastically.

"Fine." Neji replied courteously as he gave a nod as an approval.

If Hyuuga Neji excelled at anything apart from the things he excelled on as a prodigy, then it must be lying.

Sure, the dress was nice on her.

But it was pink.

_Electric pink_.

He… did not… like _electric pink_!!

"Hmm… Do you think I could buy this, then?" The Haruno asked softly, pleadingly, her eyes shining hopefully as she flickered her eyelashes beautifully at the prodigy.

Wincing, Neji nodded. Somehow he found her way of _flirting _–if that was what she has been doing from the moment they met today- a bit… creepy.

Even after hours, he was still not used to it.

He shrugged off the thought and sent a smirk to Sakura, being a gentleman he really is, "Just buy it if you want it so badly."

"Really? Thanks!" She smiled happily in satisfaction and returned to the dressing room to change into her normal outfit, as Neji cursed himself for being a gentleman.

No, he did not care about his money – he was feed well in the Hyuuga compound and he has been secretly saving a lot, but those were not important at all.

And even if he disliked admitting it, he has been saving his money for Tenten and Tenten only.

He almost sigh again – almost being the keyword as Sakura went out of the changing room, smiling, clearly in satisfaction.

They went to the counter; he paid for the dress, and then went to the ground floor since Sakura wanted to get another overview of the first floor – where ninja uniforms were located.

Just as they arrived, the pink-haired kunoichi stopped near a blue kunoichi dress and started to examine the piece of flexible clothing.

She really liked the design – it was fit, perfect for harsh missions.

As she continued on her examination, Neji turned away to give himself refreshment from seeing dresses all the time.

Though, instead of getting refreshment, what he got was a deadly surprise as he saw a couple. And it's not just _any _couple.

It was Tenten, _and Uchiha Sasuke_.

Staring at him, _and holding hands_.

_Oh, great, _Neji thought sarcastically, _this day is just getting better and better!_

**To be continued.**

--

**Notes**

Sorry for the lack of entertainment and the little OOCness. I have to cut it short because I want the couplings for the next chapter… Thank you for waiting patiently though, although it probably wasn't worth the wait. Oh well.

Please review!

Thank you!


	8. Chapter 8: Disloyalty

**Disclaimer: Boring. Standard ones, please.**

**A/N: **Thankies for the reviews for the last chapter! I'm glad (smiles)! Here's chapter eight, please enjoy!

--

**Chapter Eight: Disloyalty**

--

"Hyuuga." Uchiha Sasuke acknowledged coldly, his tone flat as his grip on Tenten's fingers tightened.

The kunoichi almost flinch in surprise but her eyes betrayed no emotions as she smiled weakly at Hyuuga Neji and Haruno Sakura, who popped out beside the prodigy so suddenly that she almost yelps out of surprise.

"Uchiha." Neji retorted back equally, his voice evenly cold as his gaze shifted to Tenten.

Okay, so he was surprised to see her here, even if he was not going to admit it. With Uchiha Sasuke, holding hands and looking happy around these stupid girlish garments. He has thought that she disliked dresses and those girly things, but apparently he was wrong.

Maybe she loves dresses in actuality. Maybe she was just not comfortable enough around him to wear what she really likes.

_Maybe. _

He shuddered at the thought and turned away.

Tenten could barely handle her surprise - she really didn't expect to find the Hyuuga prodigy surrounded by frilly pink dresses, peach laces and stuffed animals.

The background just didn't suit him - and yet he was here, with a girl other than her, moreover.

She thought he was not capable of interacting with girly girls like Sakura, but today he had just proven her wrong.

_So very wrong._

When Neji's hand wrapped itself around Sakura's slender fingers protectively, Tenten really flinched. And she couldn't seem to swallow that somehow familiar pang of hurt in her heart.

_No, Tenten_, she reminded herself, _you are NOT jealous._

It was Sakura who then broke the uncomfortable silence.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke-kun?" She asked boldly, holding Neji's hand back as if there was no tomorrow.

Sasuke didn't reply immediately. He drew in a sharp breath and glared at the pink-haired kunoichi.

"It's none of your business, Sakura." He replied coldly, his eyes drilling holes into her emerald green orbs, "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Mind your own business, Uchiha." It was Neji who growled protectively, making Tenten bit her lip so hard that it drew blood.

She has never heard him being so protective over someone like this.

Not even to Hinata, and she was his cousin, for heaven's sake!

_Whatever happened to him?_

She cleared her throat and tugged gently on Sasuke's sleeve.

"Sasuke-kun..." She said, her eyes pleading and her voice soft, "Let's just... go."

She stood on her tiptoe and whispered at his ears, "Let's have lunch in the food court. There's a new Chinese restaurant recently opened there, and I want to try!"

"Hn." The Uchiha prodigy agreed and stormed off, dragging Tenten behind.

Unbeknownst to them both, Hyuuga Neji's eyes shone dangerously as he released Sakura's hand, feeling terribly disgusted at his own action.

Why did he hold her hand just then?

It was not like he wanted to make Tenten jealous, of all people.

Why would he, then?

It's not like she felt _anything _towards him…

But then again, he could almost swear, too, that the weapon mistress was slightly distracted when he did that to Sakura.

_Is she...?_ No, Neji, better not think about the impossible.

"Let's eat." He said suddenly, turning back to Sakura.

"Eh?" Sakura looked surprised, "But we just have breakfast!" She protested.

"Let's eat." He repeated sternly, leaving no space for arguments.

"I'm not hungry." She grumbled, but feeling his eyes drilling holes into her, she immediately lowered her head in agreement. "Where should we eat?" She asked at last, her eyes clearly avoiding his gaze.

"The food court." Neji replied casually.

_Oh, right_. She should have guessed.

--

Uchiha Sasuke watched in mild amusement as Tenten popped the last meatball into her mouth.

She licked her lips in satisfaction and grabbed a drink from the table. As she inhaled the warm liquid, Sasuke chuckled.

He didn't know that Tenten could eat this much, but maybe it was caused by their meeting with Hyuuga Neji just fifteen minutes ago.

She still have eyes for the Hyuuga, he knew that. And no, he was not going to let the Hyuuga have her. She was his. And only his. Tenten was not to be shared.

He didn't exactly know since when did he developed such strong, possessive feelings towards the weapon mistress, but that wasn't really the point.

She was his, and he better enjoy every second with her.

It's not like she was going to be his forever...

There was the Hyuuga, and there was _Sakura_...

Now, what was he thinking?

"Eat, Sasuke-kun." Tenten said all of a sudden, cutting his trains of thoughts as she took a napkin and cleaned the crumbs near her ruby red lips. "This is delicious! Or do you need me to feed you from my hand?" She grinned evilly, joking as she held the meatballs up to his lips.

"Sure." He replied without hesitation, his lips curving into an evil smirk as he chewed the meatball Tenten has just shoved into his mouth.

The weapon mistress blinked, but she forced a laugh.

"Good boooy..." She cooed softly, holding up another meatball with shaky hands.

After all, he was her boyfriend.

And _puh-lease_, how many times she needed to remind herself about that fact?

It was almost as if she wasn't ready… no, not ready… _happy_ to have the Uchiha Sasuke as a boyfriend.

Tenten scolded herself as Sasuke chewed another meatball, his eyes fixing into hers.

"Tenten." Sasuke said suddenly after he drank his tea. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You already did." Tenten chuckled as she smiled gently, "But of course you can, Sasuke-kun. What is it?"

The Uchiha prodigy gripped her wrist tightly, his Sharingan activated reflexively.

He deactivated it quickly and asked, "Why do you call me Sasuke-kun?"

She gazed into his eyes, now really in confusion.

"Wh-Why do you ask?" She stammered, sounding so much like Hinata.

Her eyes fled to the table, clearly avoiding eye contact with his onyx orbs. Even without seeing the complete picture, in the corner of her eyes she could see that he was practically staring at her.

Staring and demanding _truth_.

She quickly controlled herself and forced to look at him in the eyes. "I call you Sasuke-kun," She stated firmly, "Because you are my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend?" Sasuke repeated, feeling a little disappointed.

He was hoping for something else than that, but suddenly now everything had become clear to him.

He began to understand the truth.

… And the truth was not as kind as you think.

It was painful.

He let go of her wrist, controlling his face to look neutral.

Anything was better but expressive.

She shouldn't know that he was disappointed.

_No one_ should ever know that he ever feels disappointment.

Tenten, however, felt the sudden intensity of his face.

As images of Neji and Sakura crept into her mind, in the corner of her eyes she could see both of them not far away from there - they were within the reach of hearing her conversation.

Determined to gain control of herself once more, the weapon mistress reached out her hand and took Sasuke's hand in hers.

She smiled softly, "And I care for you, Sasuke-kun." She retorted.

Sasuke immediately looked into her eyes, as Hyuuga Neji felt his world crumbling over all to him.

Sakura gave a loud cough, drawing attention to them as Tenten only lowered her head, blushing profusely.

"Thank you." The Uchiha said at last, leaning forward.

He reached out and pulled her closer, and then kissed her forehead gently and turned towards Neji and Sakura.

He was in a so much better mood today - it will be okay to be courteous and friendly and ask them to come join them and eat together.

"Hi." He said calmly, "Here. Just sit here and order whatever you want."

He looked thoughtful for a while. "My treat." He added kindly, eyes staring at Neji's pale and neutral orbs, almost demandingly.

Sakura squealed and quickly sat down beside Sasuke, leaving the empty seat beside Tenten.

Neji drew in a sharp breath and quietly sat beside her, his eyes stoic and his expression unreadable as always.

"Do you want to order anything, Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked politely.

"Yes, Neji-san! You said you're hungry!" Sakura said quickly, her eyes trailing the menus on the bar in front of them.

"Ooh! This looks delicious, now doesn't it?" She cooed to Sasuke, who winced due to the sudden romantics.

Neji looked at Sakura closely. "Not anymore." He replied coldly.

"Well, okay." The pink-haired kunoichi shrugged, "But not eating is unhealthy. I'll buy something for you - just a light meal - and we could continue our day." She paused, and added firmly, "_Together_."

"Hn."

She grabbed Sasuke's hand and suddenly pulled him away with her diagonally to the fifth bar from the door, leaving the heavy awkwardness between Neji and Tenten back on the table.

But no, Tenten was not going to lose to a silence that easily.

She turned at Neji, a soft smile on her lips.

"I don't know you are dating Sakura." She said, her voice cackling teasingly. "Aww, Neji! All these years and you never tell me? What kind of a friend are you?"

"I have no interest in her." The Hyuuga prodigy replied flatly. "I am here just to accompany her do some shopping in place of Uchiha."

"So, how is she?" Tenten asked, not wanting to draw in further into his reason - _'do some shopping in place of Uchiha_'.

She never knew that Sasuke had a job to accompany Sakura shopping.

He has never told her about that - he only mentioned that they were best friends and good teammates, that's all.

Now that _Neji_ mentioned the reason, she was getting a little curious. But no, it was quite unreasonable for her to be jealous because Sasuke has been very loyal to her.

A bitter smile crept to her lips. If anyone was being disloyal, it was her. She has kissed the Hyuuga Neji.

They were almost like couples - and she didn't even want to get started on how right being together with Neji feels.

It was just simply disloyal.

And Tenten hated being disloyal.

She almost hated herself, too.

Neji looked a bit thoughtful. "She is fine." He answered at last after a long thinking.

Tenten broke into a small laughter. "Everyone is fine for you, Neji." She said, pointing out quite the obvious. "What have you been doing?"

"Shopping." The Hyuuga replied stoically, shrugging. "_And shopping_. Nothing interesting."

The weapon mistress smiled again, but her heart was crying immensely.

Oh God, how hard was it only to build up a good conversation with the Hyuuga Neji when they were left awkward?

He seemed like he was being very silent today.

And Tenten?

Oh, she couldn't think of anything except, _this guy beside me is shopping with Sakura. With Sakura. Sakura. Sakura_...

It almost felt like eternity until Sasuke and Sakura returned to the table, bringing food. They both looked also a little awkward, and Sakura even seemed a little flushed.

Tenten couldn't stop herself wondering what had happened between them. She wasn't really paying attention to either Sakura or Sasuke because she was too sucked up in her awkward conversation with Neji.

"Itadakimasu!" Sakura said cheerfully and quickly dug in, as Neji chewed an onigiri silently.

Tenten sighed. _This is gonna be a looooooooong day_, she thought.

--

When night comes, a gentleman must walk his lady home - that was what Tenten believed.

But in this case, who was the lady and who was her man?

The sunset had always attracted people with its most beautiful golden rays of light. It lied in the sky, so peacefully sinking down to the warm embrace of the sea. Water reflected back the orange arc, as the birds flew here and there.

Tenten held her breath instinctively, mesmerized by the view in front of her. This sunset was one of the most absorbing things she had ever found in her life.

So was Hyuuga Neji - his eyes, his smirk, and his coldness - they were all absorbing the hell out of her.

Another was Uchiha Sasuke and his well-being.

"It's so beautiful, ne, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura chimed in cheerfully as she sat next to the Uchiha, who winced slightly but gave a little nod.

Tenten flinched and shifted her gaze awkwardly from the sight of her boyfriend and his teammate, to her left.

_Oops. Definitely wrong choice. _

As soon as she turned away, Neji's eyes met hers, his pale orbs sucking the breath out of her.

His eyes, aside from the deepness and intensity of it, were also sharp and all knowing. They have always amused her - gazing into his eyes, she realized that he was a man almost with no emotions.

It has been a saying that eyes are reflective, but his eyes never reflected anything but boredom.

Pure boredom.

That was until these days... Until she was claimed by the great Uchiha.

Tenten managed to suppress the heat from running up to her cheek and quietly turned away, afraid of his eagle eyes.

It was not her idea to go sunset-watching from on top of the Hokage statues - it was Neji who silently suggested it.

"It has been what I like." He had said simply, but his eyes were glued to her meaningfully, as if he wanted to tell her something.

She had turned away, not wanting to care.

Or rather, she thought - no, she knew it was simply restricted yet inappropriate to set her eyes on another guy when it should be Sasuke who was demanding her attention.

"Is it beautiful?" Neji asked slowly, his voice low but gentle.

Tenten turned around at him again, as this time she couldn't stop blushing sweetly. She gave a faint nod and smiled, "The view is nice here." She said softly, gazing back at the sunset.

The chemistry between them has always been awkward yet strained ever since they met today in the marketplace, and she didn't like it.

As the sun sets down, Sakura stood up and smiled at Sasuke nicely. "I want to go home now." She announced, and Neji stood up too, remembering that it was actually his responsibility to walk her home - they were on a date, like it or not, and walking her home was just the last thing he needed to do for the pink-haired kunoichi.

But before he could even say, "Let's," Sasuke had stood up and gazed at him, a bit awkwardly.

"Sakura and I need to settle some problems, Hyuuga." He said, making Tenten wince uncomfortably as he picked up Sakura's shopping bags. The Uchiha then turned to her, "Sorry, Tenten... do you mind?"

She gazed at him and feigned a tender smile, "It's okay." She replied. Well, it really was okay – it's not that she really cared, anyway.

She almost frowns at the thought and scolded herself again. She should have cared – after all, he was her boyfriend, right?

She _should have _cared. But she didn't.

That made her complex.

"That's settled, then." Sasuke said, breaking her trains of thoughts, "Thanks. Let's go, Sakura."

"Yay!" Sakura chimed as she followed the Sharingan wielder down from the Hokage statues, leaving Tenten and Neji in silence.

She stood up and looked at Neji blankly, "I'll be going too, then." She said softly, "There's nothing more to do..."

"Wait." Neji reached for her wrist, touching her hand in process.

Tenten blushed sweetly, as she gazed back at him, her mouth gaping as she at last asked, "What is it, Neji? I… It's getting late…"

"I'll walk you home."

Tenten nodded, knowing that his words weren't a question.

He was insisting; it was a statement that she _would _comply even if she needn't to.

She didn't understand why, but she knew that he wasn't going to do anything bad to her.

They have been teammates for years, and he never really hurt her… well, that was until the Uchiha Sasuke came up, though.

The coming of Uchiha Sasuke into her life has changed everything… The relationship between her and Neji, the usual 'good' chemistry before…

But why should she care?

Neji, like it or not, was only her best friend and teammate. He was nothing more…

Or rather, he should be nothing more.

_But is he?_

Tenten didn't know anymore.

She didn't want to know.

What if the truth… What if the truth is more painful than what she could've bare? What if the truth isn't what she wants it to be?

She was _a coward_, Tenten realized as she bit her lip. Looking back at Neji, who was still waiting attentively for her reply, she nodded. "Come on, then."

They walked in silence, and arrived at her apartment not long after that, since her apartment was located not far from the Hokage statues.

Tenten inserted her door key and quickly turned back at him, smiling softly, "Do you wanna get any drinks first?"

Neji looked at the clock tower near the statues, and quietly nodded.

It was six PM, and he still has time before dinner comes. He could skip dinner and not eat for the night if he wants too, though.

Nobody has ever really care whether he has eaten or not, anyway.

Nobody except _her_, maybe. Worrying was already in her nature.

She led him inside her living room and proceeded to the kitchen to make tea. A few minutes later, she came back and offered him a cup.

"… Anyhow…" She began, leaving her question on her tongue, unspoken as he looked straight into her eyes, in a mix of confusion and fondness.

She let out a little sigh and continued, "I want to ask you a question, Neji."

The Hyuuga prodigy simply nodded, lifting the cup to his lips and sipping it a little. He was always fond of Tenten's tea – any of them. She has different mixes, and sometimes her tea tasted a little weird, but all of it was worth drinking, or so he thought.

Tenten glanced at Neji, and realized that he wasn't even half as nervous as she was!

She smiled to herself, her nervousness evaporating from her skin as she urged, "Don't take my question as anything personal, Neji. It's not. I'm just…"

She paused breathlessly, feeling his silver eyes looking at her, "I'm just asking."

He shook his head, "Just ask."

"Well, you spent the day with Sakura today."

"She's fine."

"Yeah, you said that already." Tenten nodded unconsciously as she sipped her own mix of jasmine and chamomile tea – her personal favorite.

_He_ thought that _everyone _is fine.

Then, what is her to him? Is she also _fine _like how other people to him are _fine_?

Why is it that all of a sudden she wanted more?

She shrugged off the thought and looked at him attentively, pushing down the sudden strong urge to ask him whether he thought of her 'fine', too…

But…

Oh, gosh.

What would he think of her then?

Neji arched his eyebrows cockily, "So what is it, then?"

"Do you like her?" The weapon mistress spat out, almost not believing that she was the one who asked that, of all people.

She was acting like a jealous, love-struck puppy towards the Hyuuga prodigy, and she couldn't tell whether he realizes it or not.

Neji tilted his head, clearly confused.

"No." He replied quietly, in his eyes not a layer of lies. "She's fun to be with, though almost annoying at glances, but _no_, I don't like her that way. What makes you think otherwise?"

"Mm… The fact that you seem to be distracted when Sasuke asked to walk her home instead of you." Tenten pointed out.

She realized that Neji winced a little when her boyfriend said so, but she never really knows why, not even after a momentary examination.

"You're like… _jealous_." She added quietly.

"Hn." Neji replied.

_It was because of you_, he thought, _not Sakura-san_.

It was because he never thought that Sasuke would be one to… leave him with _Tenten_ alone together, just the two of them, of all people.

He thought that Sasuke was always too protective of the weapon mistress that he wouldn't leave the two of them alone, and brought Tenten with him instead.

Though, he knew whatever business Sasuke and Sakura have in hand, it was private.

"I'm not jealous. Not at all, though I _was _surprised." He admitted quietly.

"Why?" Tenten asked, almost urgently, "It's like you're… really jealous of Sasuke and Sakura walking together…"

"You're not calling him 'Sasuke-kun'." Neji realized, a little surprise in his heart, though he disguised it well.

He was a prodigy, for heaven's sake!

She nodded awkwardly, "I'm just… still not used to it." She sighed hoarsely, "Though I still call him with the suffix if I'm with him, or he'll just… get upset."

"You don't want him to be upset, do you?"

"Yes." Tenten replied, "He's my _boyfriend_."

"The word _boyfriend _doesn't really prove anything." Neji pointed out as he drank his tea to the last drop. "It really doesn't."

"I know." The weapon mistress sighed. "I've told you, _it's my entire fault_. Shouldn't have accepted him as my boyfriend from the first time."

"It's not necessarily your fault." Neji replied, putting down the cup. "Don't think too much about it, Tenten."

"But…"

He simply gave a little smirk, interjecting her sentence. "It's not your fault." He repeated, firm and clear, his cloudy eyes looking straight into her orbs caringly, "Is that clear?"

"Neji…" _Don't look at me like that… _

"Hn." He replied, putting down the cup. "I'm going. It's getting late."

"Oh, okay." Tenten nodded, standing up, putting her cup down too as she walked him to the door. "Neji, you and Sakura…"

"We don't have anything between us." Neji repeated, firmly, "I'm not hiding anything from you." _What for, anyway_?

"Thanks." The weapon mistress smiled softly at him. "Goodbye. Goodnight, Neji… and… and sweet dreams."

He looked at her, almost hesitantly.

Though he was a prodigy, and he never hesitates long enough.

Or rather, he never lets himself hesitates long enough.

He leaned forward, brushed his lips on her forehead softly and quietly smiled back at her, "Goodnight, too."

Tenten blushed, but he was gone before he even realized that she was blushing.

Her hand moved to her forehead, where he has kissed her just then.

She could still feel the kiss…

_Neji…_

Tenten smiled to herself, closing the door behind her.

_Everything is back to normal_.

Neji was smiling to her again.

Sasuke was not angry at her and still her boyfriend.

As for Sakura…

Well, she just needs to talk to her and maybe things would be clear.

_Everything is back to normal again…_

Boy oh boy, was she wrong.

**To be continued.**

--

**End Notes**

Hiya there! I guess that wasn't much of an entertainment, too… The NejiSaku interaction is really weird. I couldn't imagine them getting together (because my head is still full of NejiTen flags shouting 'NEJI AND TENTEN SHOULD BE TOGETHER!!'), and I guess that's why. Gee, that was weird xP.

Okay.

1. What do you think of SasuTen? The real SasuTen – the one outside the fics?

2. What do you think of NejiSaku? The real as well. :3

Thankies! Review please, and if you can, please answer my questions!


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